Fire prevention week: 'Protect your family from fire' Published Oct. 3, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Chad Thompson 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The 51st Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Emergency Services Flight will be holding several events around base Oct. 9-16, to help ensure Osan members are thinking about fire prevention. This year's fire prevention week slogan is, "Protect your family from fire." Fire department personnel will be educating everyone on the leading causes of home fires such as unattended cooking, improper use of heating devices, unsafe or overloaded electrical devices and storing flammable materials. Osan is home to many Airmen who live in dormitories, as well as base housing. "Fire prevention week is mainly geared toward children and instilling our safety messages in them," said Master Sgt. Steven Martin, 51st CES firefighter."These junior firefighters help to bring the message home to mom and dad." During the week Sparky the Fire Dog and members of the Osan Air Base fire department will be visiting the Child Development Center, Osan Elementary school, base exchange, commissary and Hallasan and Jirisan towers. According to the National Fire Protection Association website Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the 1871 Great Chicago Fire that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began Oct. 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on Oct. 9, 1871. In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which Oct. 9 falls. Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. For more information visit: http://www.nfpa4kids/org, http://www.firepreventionweek.org, or http://www.sparky.org. Fire Prevention Week 2011 Schedule: Oct. 9 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Fire Prevention informational booth at the base exchange 4 to 5:30 p.m. -- Hallasan/Jirisan tower ladder truck display, Sparky and handouts Oct. 10 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Fire Prevention booth at Popeye's Oct. 11 4 to 5:30 p.m. -- Hallasan/Jirisan tower ladder truck display, Sparky and handouts Oct. 12 12:20 to 2 p.m. -- Fire Station Tour - 24 Korean Middle School students 3 to 3:30 p.m. -- Fire Station Tour - 30 American students Oct. 13 10 to noon -- Songtan Fire Department training bus demonstration at the base exchange parking lot Oct. 14 3 to 4 p.m. - Child Development Center visit with pumper and Sparky Oct. 15 11 to 1 p.m. -- Fire Prevention informational booth at base exchange