Fire department continues to raise awareness with Fire Prevention Week

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 5 to 11 and this year's theme is "Prevent Home Fires." 

In preparation for the kick-off, Col. Eden Murrie, 100th Air Refueling Wing commander, signed a proclamation in support of the event. She was joined by Chief Master Sgt. Charles Funkhauser, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department fire chief, and Sparky the Fire Dog. 

The following events are scheduled during the week: 

Oct. 5: Information booths and Sparky appearance - There will be a fire safety information booth at the RAF Mildenhall BXtra offering flyers, pamphlets and promotional items. Sparky will be on hand to meet with children, and there will be a car seat installation demonstration and 100th ARW Safety personnel will be on hand to assist. The events run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Oct. 6: Firefighters visit Child Development Center - Sparky will be at the main gate from 7 to 8 a.m. then from 10 to 11 a.m. he and other firefighters will visit the RAF Mildenhall CDC to talk with children about basic fire prevention. The firefighters will also show the video "Frank the Fireman" to the children. From 2:45 to 4:30 p.m. the Suffolk Fire Experience Unit will be set up at the youth center parking lot for children to see. Parents are invited to attend and participate. 

Oct. 7: Fire station visit - From 8 to 9 a.m. firefighters will do leaflet drops in Beck Row and Mildenhall base housing. From 10 to 11 a.m. a home school group will have a tour of the fire station, when the firefighters will also provide them fire prevention education. 

Oct. 8: Busy Bees visit - Firefighters will take a fire truck and Sparky to Busy Bees nursery in Beck Row to visit children from 10 to 11 a.m. From noon to 2 p.m. there will be a fire prevention information booth at the Bob Hope Community Center, and fire extinguisher training for the workplace will be provided. 

Oct. 9: Firefighter challenge and visit by cheerleaders - Squadrons are invited to participate in the firefighter challenge at the fire station beginning at 2:30 p.m. There will be both team and individual events, which include stair climb, hose hoist, hose advance and victim rescue. To sign up, call Staff Sgt. Travis Girly or Senior Airman Jayton Washington at DSN 238-2763, or e-mail travis.girly@mildenhall.af.mil or jayton.washington@mildenhall.af.mil. The Washington Redskin Cheerleaders will also be appearing at the event. 

Oct. 10: Golf tournament, chip pan demonstration - There will be a golf tournament for both RAFs Mildenhall and Lakenheath personnel from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at RAF Lakenheath's Breckland Pines Golf Club. To sign up, call Master Sgt. Dennis Schipper or Staff Sgt. Guy Carriveau at DSN 238-4005. There will also be a demonstration of a chip (French fry) pan trainer at the BXtra. 

Oct. 11: Fire department open house - The RAF Mildenhall Fire Department is hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be face painting and bouncy castles for children, fire truck displays and demonstrations and station tours. Hot dogs and burgers will be available, provided by Team 5/6. 

Editor's note: For more information on any of the events, call Sergeant Carriveau at DSN 238-4005.