Base fire department teaching fire safety during awareness week

Published Sept. 29, 2010
By 375th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Protection Flight

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- In honor of Fire Safety Awareness Week, the Scott Air Force Base Fire Department will provide fire safety awareness education and training throughout the week of Oct. 3-9.

This year's fire safety theme is: "Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With."

Events will include a live aircraft fire fighting demonstration at the Fire Department Training Area on Oct. 4 and the Fire Department Open House at Fire Station 2 in Patriot's Landing on Oct. 9.

The history of Fire Prevention Week has its roots in the Great Chicago Fire, Oct. 8-9, 1871. In just seven hours, this fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. To this date is it still unclear as to the actual cause of the Great Chicago Fire.

While the Great Chicago Fire is the best-known blaze to start during this fiery two-day stretch, it wasn't the biggest. That distinction goes to the Peshtigo Fire, the most devastating forest fire in American history. This fire, which also occurred on Oct. 8, 1871, roared through northeast Wisconsin- burning down 16 towns, killing 1,152 people, and scorching 1.2 million acres before it ended.

Historical accounts of the Peshtigo Fire say that the blaze began when several railroad workers clearing land for tracks unintentionally started a brush fire. Before long, the fast-moving flames were whipping through the area 'like a tornado,' some survivors said. It was the small town of Peshtigo, Wisc., that suffered the worst damage. Within an hour, the entire town had been destroyed.

Fire Prevention Day was founded by the Fire Marshals Association of North America, now part of the National Fire Protection Association. The day was first proclaimed by President Wilson on the 40th anniversary of the Chicago blaze. In 1925, President Harding was the first to officially declare a National Fire Prevention Week. Every President of the United States has signed a proclamation announcing a national observance for Fire Prevention Week since 1925. According to the National Archives and Records Administration's Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.

After eight decades the NFPA continues to be the international sponsor of Fire Prevention Week, which covers the entire week Sunday through Saturday and includes Oct. 9, the anniversary date of the Great Chicago Fire. In 1957, NFPA assigned the first theme for Fire Prevention Week "Don't Give Fire a Place to Start" and has provided a theme every year since.

Fire Prevention Week Activities

Oct. 3
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Base Exchange - Fire Safety Information/ Trailer and Sparky/ Smoky and Sparky's Castle

Oct. 4
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Base Exchange - Fire Safety Information/Trailer
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Commissary - Fire Safety Information Booth
6:30 - 8 p.m.: Live Aircraft Firefighting Demonstration1 at Fire Department Training Area

Oct. 5
9 -10 a.m.: Child Development Center visit at Bldg. 1805
11 a.m. -1 p.m.: Community/Education Center - Fire Safety Information/Trailer
3:30 - 5 p.m.: Youth Center School Age Program

Oct. 6
9 - 10:30 a.m.: Family Child Care Program Visit (Fire Station 2)
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.: Base Library
3 - 5 p.m.: Base Exchange - Fire Safety Information/ Trailer

Oct. 7
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Scott Elementary visit

Oct. 8
9 - 10 a.m.: Child Development Center visit at Bldg. 1807
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Base Exchange - Fire Safety Information/ Trailer/ Sparky

Oct. 9
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Open House Fire Station No. 2 and Children's Fire Firefighter Challenge in conjunction with Hunt's Fall Festival (Patriots Landing Community Center)