Fire department educates children during Fire Prevention Week Published Oct. 14, 2015 By Airman Gwendalyn Smith 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- -- The 375th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department played its role in Fire Prevention Week and hosted various events to raise fire safety awareness for children and their families. The events included tours of the fire station and fire trucks, a fire awareness puppet show, book readings and fire simulations. "The biggest importance is getting awareness of fire safety out to the general public," said Staff Sgt. Stephen McNulty, 375th Civil Engineer Squadron fire inspector. "It's our job to inform and educate people on fire prevention and fire safety." Airman 1st Class Chace Smith, 375th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, said, "I think fire prevention is something important to share with the kids, because firefighters are a model of safety and someone they look up to, so they absorb the information about how to stay safe. As they grow up, the lessons stick with them." The firefighters covered why it is important to have smoke alarms all over the home. "Our topic for this year is 'Hear the Beep Where You Sleep.' It helps show the importance of having a smoke detector in every room that you sleep and on every level," said McNulty. "The National Fire Protection Association gives us the topic for each year and we send out the importance of it to the public." In the event of a household fire the presence of working smoke alarms in a household cuts the risk of death in a fire in half. According to the National Fire Protection Association, half of all U.S. home fire fatalities occur at night between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are likely to be sleeping. Experts agree that home residents have about two minutes to escape a residential fire once the smoke detector is triggered. Due to the fact that most residential fires occur while occupants are sleeping, time frames for escaping home fires become even smaller. Working smoke alarms are a critical fire-safety tool that can mean the difference between life and death in a home fire. "People should check their fire detectors monthly," said McNulty. "They should also replace the batteries every six months." Smoke alarms should be installed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Interconnected smoke alarms are the most effective type of detectors because when one sounds, they all sound. Inspecting all alarms once a month and replacing each alarm after 10 years ensures their effective operation. Everyone in the home should know the sound of the alarm and have a plan of what to do in the event of a fire. About Fire Prevention Week 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. Fire Prevention Week received its origin from the Great Chicago Fire, which took place Oct. 8, 1871 and continued until Oct. 9, when most of the damage occurred. The fire blazed for a total of 27 hours and killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres.