Imagine Boone on Oct.
9, 1871.
Traffic and parking were not a problem, the parkway was nonexistent
and the leaves were probably even more beautiful.
Now, imagine Chicago, Ill., the same day.
It was probably ordinary, and no one had any idea what was in store
for the night.
The story goes that a milk cow kicked over a lantern, which started
what is now known as the great Chicago fire.
Whether the story is true we will never know, but the great Chicago
fire did help to start something no one should ignore, National
Fire Prevention Week and Month.
Fire prevention week always encompasses Oct. 9, and October is fire
prevention month. A big effort is given during this week to educate
primarily children, but adults as well, in the area of fire safety.
This year’s theme is “team up for fire safety,” and
firefighters would like to increase the amount of homes with working
smoke detectors.
Currently less than 25 percent of homes are protected with working
smoke detectors, and in the United States 25 percent of people will
have a fire in their home at some time in their lives.
“Working smoke detectors are the first step,” said Assistant
Fire Marshall Mike Teague. “Working smoke detectors help improve
your chance of surviving a fire by 50 percent.”
Fire prevention week actually started in the 1940s, and Boone has
had firefighters and staff working since the mid 1980s.
During the rest of the year, they concentrate heavily on educational
programs, fire extinguisher training, evacuation training and other
educational programs with adults.
After 9-11, programming changed slightly in that firefighters concentrated
more on making sure people evacuate when a fire alarm sounds, whether
it is a false alarm or not.
To schedule an event, simply call the local fire department and
ask for the person in charge of prevention and education programs.
Then explain what you want to do and they will set up a program.
Fire prevention does work. Teague has been credited with five life
saves, including an 18-year-old special population student who went
through the program.
Her house caught fire and because of the things she learned in the
program, she was able to get out of the house and her life was saved.
Another success story comes from a special population student who
had a log roll out of the fireplace and catch carpeting on fire.
Her normal response would be to go and hide, but because of training
she received through Fire Prevention Week she went and got her mother,
subsequently saving four lives.
To schedule training in the Boone area, contact Mike Teague at 262-4590
or stop by Boone Mall on Oct. 22 or New Market Center Oct. 23.
Firefighters will have a truck there with Sparky, fire station mascot,
and literature concerning fire prevention and safety. |
