KUNSASN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The 8th Civil Engineering Squadron fire department held several events here in order to raise awareness during Fire Prevention Week, which started on Oct. 9, 2018.

Fire Prevention Week occurs annually during the week of Oct. 9, and focuses on educating personnel on fire hazards, what to do during a fire emergency, and what they can do to prevent fires from starting. A large number of 8th Fighter Wing personnel have their own source of heat or do their own cooking which is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries, with smoke causing the most home-fire deaths, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.

“The best way to stop a fire is preventing it from happening in the first place,” said SSgt. Nickolas Torrez, 8th CES fire inspector. “In most cases fires start from such simple things, like daisy chaining outlets or forgetting to turn the stove off. Portable space heaters are popular here and many people have them in their room or office, but space heaters are involved in 84% of home-fire deaths. It’s important that people understand the risks and how to safely and correctly use them.”

The fire fighters from the 8th CES made Fire Prevention Week a fun and engaging week to involve as many people as possible, and educating the base en masse through interactive events, displays set up on base, and talking on the local American Forces News radio station about fire safety and the activities being held.

Members from the 8th Fighter Wing had a chance to compete in a fire muster event held by the fire department. Teams of four faced several challenges set up by the fire fighters, with the top three teams earning prizes from the fire department.

The week concluded with an open house for 60 students from Su Song Elementary School nearby the base in Gunsan City, where they had a chance to see and even use some of the equipment that Kunsan fire fighters use when responding to calls. While the open house served both as an educational opportunity for the children and provided Airmen with the chance to interface with the local community and teach the next generation about how to stay safe and prevent fires.

For more information on Fire Prevention Week and fire related statistics, visit: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Campaigns/Fire-Prevention-Week