The Charleston community experienced fire apparatus displays, a medical helicopter fly-in and a vehicle extrication demonstration, all hosted by the Charleston Fire Department on Saturday at the Linder Sports Complex, for Fire Prevention Week.
The event drew a crowd of a few hundred people, mainly children. Charleston Fire Department Lieutenant Eric Woodley, who coordinated the event, said that drawing in the younger audience is key to fire safety.
“Fire prevention to me is teaching the younger kids and their parents how to get out of the house safely and where to meet up— things of that nature,” Woodley said. “It’s just preventing issues, and if heaven forbid something does happen, what to do after the fact.”
Woodley said that teaching kids that matches and lighters are tools and not toys is also key to fire prevention.
To assist in education, the department brought its demonstration trailer. Inside is a replica kitchen, where children could sit and watch a video on fire safety. The trailer also had a section covered in metal that featured a small, sprinkler demonstration.
Woodley said important items for a family to have for fire prevention include a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and garage, as well as smoke detectors wherever they are needed.
A plan for the event of a fire is also important, Woodley said.
“As a family unit, you need to have a meeting place if anything ever happens,” Woodley said. “It can’t just be random spots. You have to pick spots.”
Woodley said that this ensures that everyone is accounted for and allows the fire department to facilitate further action.
The fire department also works closely with Eastern Illinois University, according to Woodley.
“We work hand-in-hand with the RAs, doing fire drills and fire prevention stuff,” Woodley said.
The RAs are able to use their fire prevention knowledge to educate residents about prohibited items in the dorms, fire extinguisher use, and safe evacuation.
“During the initial fall floor meetings with residents, our staff cover fire safety and evacuation procedures,” Executive Director of EIU Housing and Dining Mark Hudson wrote in an email.
According to Hudson, Eastern has a central fire alarm system as well as a local fire alarm system that can be heard in each room.
There are smoke detectors in every room and in hallways, and there are pull stations in all buildings. The university’s fire alarm system will notify the 911 center of fire alarms, for quick response times.
Additionally, the university conducts annual checks on all systems and fire extinguishers, to keep them up to date.
Fire Prevention Week was first started in 1922 by the National Fire Protection Association, in remembrance of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, according to the NFPA website.
The theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week is safety involving lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly found in rechargeable electronic devices.
The NFPA recommends only buying items that have been safety tested as well as only using the charging cords that were included with the product.
Batteries thrown in the trash or recycle bins can cause fires, so the NFPA recommends going to call2recycle.org to find a location to safely dispose of batteries.
Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmcoulombe@eiu.edu.
