YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan- -- Airmen from the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department kicked off Fire Prevention Week with a proclamation ceremony at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Oct. 5, 2023.
At the ceremony, Col. Andrew Roddan, 374th Airlift Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Jerry Dunn, 374th AW command chief, signed a proclamation to initiate the observance of Fire Prevention Week and pledged efforts to its success. The duo also thanked Yokota firefighters for their contributions to the local community.
“Thank you to the fire department for everything that you do to keep us safe,” said Dunn. “You’re an integral part of this mission every single day, and we appreciate all of your efforts.”
Fire Prevention Week at Yokota officially begins on Oct. 8, with events planned until Oct. 14 to include a parade, a live fire demonstration, and interactions with first responder mascots.
Fire Prevention Week has been held for 101 years, and educates communities to use safe practices to prevent fires.
“Since the 1920s, every October (firefighters) spread awareness to children and adults about the importance of fire safety,” said Staff Sgt. Austin Nash, 374th CES Fire Prevention Office fire inspector. “We want to get out there with families so they can see who we are and feel comfortable with us in case we have to respond.”
This year's theme is cooking safety, and the 374th CES fire department plans on encouraging the Yokota community to pay attention to fire prevention safety measures when preparing food.
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States and fire departments responded to more than 166,400 fires annually between 2016 and 2020. Yokota Air Base encourages the community to check their kitchens for fire hazards and to use safe cooking practices during Fire Prevention Week 2023.