ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --
As October begins, fire prevention heats up.
Oct. 6-11 is National Fire Prevention Week, and the Robins Fire Department is geared up to spread the message of fire safety.
This year’s theme is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”
Marcus White, a fire inspector and public information officer at the Robins Fire Department, said the theme serves to educate everyone about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves safe when having to evacuate their homes in case of a fire.
The Robins Fire Department plans to visit several areas on base to hand out fire safety literature, pamphlets and other goodies to help spread the Fire Prevention Week message.
“We will visit buildings 300/301, flightline entrance gates, dining facilities, Base Exchange, Commissary, Child Development Centers and other high occupancy facilities,” White said. “This allows us to cover a vast majority of our populous. There are 3-6 scheduled visits daily starting Monday, Oct. 7, through Friday, Oct. 11.”
White said his team also spreads the fire prevention message to the youngest at Robins.
“Child development center visits are a little different from our other visits,” he said. “The engine company puts on a demonstration for the kids called the “Friendly Fireman.” We have a firefighter dressed in plain clothes and a set of bunker gear placed near them. Slowly the firefighter begins to dress up with the bunker gear until he/she has the entire bunker gear on. The objective is to plant a seed of trust into the kids in case they ever encounter a firefighter during a fire in their home.”
White said it’s important to instill a culture of fire safety early into children’s lives, so that the older they get, fire safety becomes their way of life.
“Kids are like sponges and absorb everything they see or hear, so it is important to get the ball rolling with them at an early age while they still have inquisitive minds,” he said.
White said fire safety is important for all ages, all the time.
“The safety tips given during Fire Prevention Week are universal in nature and can be applied in almost any environment, whether in the workplace or in the home,” he said. “Fires do not happen only at work or at home so fire safety should be a 24-hour 7 days a week attitude.”
For more information on Robins’ Fire Prevention Week, visit the Robins Fire Department Facebook page by searching “78 Robins Fire and Emergency Services,” check out Robins’ Splash page, base marquees and informational monitors throughout the base, or call the Robins Fire Prevention Office at (478) 926-2145.