Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Tristan Labuguen | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (Oct. 11, 2024) Albert Balderama, Navy Region Hawaii's...... read more read more
To raise public awareness about fire safety, the Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH) Federal Fire Department (FFD) set up information booths and fire truck static displays on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), Oct. 11, 2024.
Since 2020, an average of 24 fires took place on JBPHH each year, and an average of 33 fires occur on U.S. Navy installations in Hawaii per year from cooking, brush, vehicle and dumpster fires.
During the event, firefighters handed out information brochures and goodie bags, educating children how to stop, drop and roll and encouraged families to create a fire escape plan.
Albert Balderama, the battalion chief for CNRH FFD, emphasized the importance of hosting these events for connecting with the community.
“These events allow us to meet with parents directly and discuss fire prevention methods,” said Balderama.
Every year a new theme is chosen for Fire Prevention Week. Commander, Navy Installations Command and Fire and Emergency Services announced this year’s slogan was “Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work For You!”
According to Balderama, it’s important for children and adults to focus on fire prevention by maintaining smoke alarms in the household to reduce the risk of house fires.
“The only thing that’s going to protect you while you’re sleeping is a smoke alarm,” said Balderama. “That’s why we focus on educating children, encouraging them to remind their parents to check smoke alarms and establish a meeting place in case of a fire.”
Balderama suggests installing smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home. To ensure smoke alarms meet quality standards, Balderama advises testing them at least once a month and replacing them every 10 years.
FFD collaborated with Moral, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), the Army and Air Force Exchange Store, and the Navy Exchange to promote Fire Prevention Week at the MWR Fall Fest held on Ward Field.
Fire Prevention Week, originally sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association in 1922, is observed annually during the week of Oct. 8 to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, which occurred on Oct. 9, 1871. The fire claimed more than 250 lives, left 100,000 people homeless, and destroyed over 17,400 structures across 2,000 acres of land. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge declared Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in the United States.
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2024 19:09 |
| Story ID: | 484381 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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