HILL AIR FORCE BASE — On Sept. 28, Harry Briesmaster, 75th Civil Engineer Group director and fire marshal, signed the 2020 Fire Prevention Week proclamation at Fire Station 1 here.
With the document, Briesmaster proclaimed Oct. 4-10 Fire Prevention Week for Hill AFB. Every year, Hill AFB supports this national campaign with events geared toward a specific theme. This year’s theme is “Serve-up Fire Safety in the Kitchen.”
Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, which did most of its damage Oct. 9, 1871. In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation. Since 1922 Fire Prevention Week has been observed the Sunday through Saturday period in which Oct. 9 falls.
According to statistics, 44% of reported home fires started in the kitchen, two thirds started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. We know cooking fires can be prevented by performing a few key actions:
• When simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home
• Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Leave the pan covered until its cool.
• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
Let’s do what we can to prevent the preventable kitchen fires. It’s a lesson we will provide to our customers. While our fire prevention activities are curtailed during this pandemic, our message is very important. We hope this Fire Prevention Week is effective and the theme Serve-up Fire Safety in the Kitchen reduces the risk of fires in our homes.
Fire Prevention Week Events
As a tribute to the week, Hill Fire & Emergency services features its Headquarters Fire Station with a virtual tour on the base’s website at www.hill.af.mil and at the @HillFD Facebook page as well as sharing those from other fire departments participating in the Davis County Fire Prevention coalition.
An outdoor event at the Hill AFB AAFES Base Exchange featuring an education booth with handouts and a fire truck display took place Oct. 7. Fire Chief Javie Blanco and his team encourages everyone on base to participate Fire Safety not only during Fire Prevention Week, but year round.
For more information, contact the Hill Fire Prevention Office at 801-777-0236.
