Fire Prevention Week heats up awareness through action Published Sept. 29, 2009 By Rhonda Siciliano 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- The Hanscom Fire Department is gearing up to educate the base community on fire prevention awareness during the annual Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4 to 10. The theme of this year's campaign is 'Stay fire smart! Don't get burned.' To emphasize that theme the Fire Department has a number of events and activities scheduled to take place across the base culminating with a Fire Prevention Walk at Castle Park on Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Fire Prevention Walk will include several fire safety demonstrations on topics such as kitchen fire safety, proper fire extinguisher usage, the 911 system, smoke detector testing and operations and live fire demonstrations as well as an automobile extrication demonstration. The event will also include an amusement area for children and plenty of food and refreshments in addition to fire prevention giveaways and prizes. "As we celebrate the Year of the Air Force Family, this is a great opportunity to bring our families together around a very important topic - fire safety and prevention," said Mark Webb, Hanscom Fire Department. "We hope everyone will join us on Oct. 10 for a fun and informational event at Castle Park. By practicing good fire prevention habits and educating our children we will greatly reduce the chance of fire in our homes and danger to our families." In addition to the Fire Prevention Walk, the fire department will also have a number of information displays set up throughout the week across the base and will be educating children through visits to the Child Development Center, Hanscom Primary School, Youth Center and the Base Library. Students in grades 7 to 8 will have an opportunity to participate in fire prevention training at the Fire Department on Oct. 8. Fire Safety Tips: The information below is provided by the National Fire Protection Association, for additional information on fire safety go to www.nfpa.org or call the Hanscom Fire Department at (781) 377-9402. Burns: The most common types of burn injuries are fire, flame burns, scalds, and contact burns. Burns are painful and can result in serious scarring and even death. Safety Tips: - Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges so they cannot be pulled off or knocked over. - Have a three foot "kid free" zone around the stove and anything that gets hot, like a wood stove, portable heater, or a fireplace. - Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage. - Teach children that hot things can burn. - Be careful when using things that get hot, such as curling irons, ovens, irons, lamps and heaters. - Keep matches and lighters up high, out of reach of children and in a locked cabinet. - Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking. - Never leave a child alone in a room with a lit candle, portable heater, lit fireplace, stove, or hot appliance. - To avoid scalds, set the thermostat on your water heater to no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. - Consider installing anti-scald devices on tub faucets and shower heads to prevent scalds. - Test the water before placing a child or yourself in the tub. Bath water should feel warm, not hot. Safety Tip: Cool a burn - Treat a burn right away. Put it in cool water for three to five minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. - If the burn is bigger than your fist or if you have any questions, get medical help right away. - Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry, and metal from the burned areas. Heating: is the second leading cause of fire deaths. Half of all heating related fire deaths happen in December, January and February. Most space heater fires are caused by the space heater being too close to things that can burn. Safety Tips - Keep space heaters at least three feet from people and from anything that can burn, such as curtains and bedding. - Have heating equipment professionally inspected and serviced every year. - Have chimneys cleaned and inspected before each heating season. Safety Tip - Remember to check the change the batteries annually in home smoke detectors to ensure they are functioning properly.