Photo By Senior Airman Landon Gunsauls | Senior Airman Nassir Danne, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, assists with a...... read more read more
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KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea – U.S. and Republic of Korea air force firefighters from the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron and 38th Fighter Group firefighter unit visited students at Jigok Elementary School, September 29, as they kicked off Fire Prevention Week with fire safety lessons for the young learners. The firefighters began their visit by partnering with ROKAF firefighters to teach students about fire safety where they got the opportunity to examine USAF and ROKAF fire trucks, practice using fire hoses and extinguishers, and gain a better understanding of the daily lives of the firefighters protecting their community. Lee He-yeon, Jigok elementary teacher, mentioned that the event provided a valuable opportunity for the students to connect with their neighbors from Kunsan Air Base. For many children, climbing aboard a fire truck and meeting Sparky, the fire safety mascot, were highlights of the day. "As a teacher, I think this is a great opportunity for our students, especially those in the lower grades, to learn about fire prevention,” said Lee. “It creates happy memories for them that they'll carry from their childhood.” “Our role is very important because, in the role of education, we're educating the public on how to be safe in their homes, in their workplaces, in their businesses, and out and about in the world,” explained U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Xavier Clark, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron fire prevention assistant chief. “We're giving them the knowledge and awareness to decrease casualties and avoid getting hurt as much as possible.” The U.S. observes Fire Prevention Week annually during the week of October 9th, aiming to educate communities about fire safety. This year's theme, Charge into Fire Safety, highlights battery-powered device risks. “To prepare for the event, our teams held meetings to coordinate procedures and equipment, where we determined who would be responsible for each demonstration,” said Republic of Korea air force Master Sgt. Hwang Jae-man, 38th firefighter unit firefighter officer. This event provided another opportunity for interoperability, allowing collaboration on teaching methods, equipment, and capabilities. "We're all in the same business of fire safety, but we do it in different ways,” Clark said. “Getting together to understand our capabilities helps us in the future, especially if we have to respond to the same type of emergency" While the U.S. observes this specific week, Korea tailors its efforts to high-risk periods such as February and November due to dry conditions and the related risk of forest fires, according to MSgt Hwang, 38th Fighter Group firefighter unit. Hwang hoped that with similarities to the goals of Fire Prevention Week, this event will emphasize the importance of fire safety and teach people, especially students, how to prevent fires. “I would like to thank the school systems that put this on. Thank you to our Korean partners, both military and civilian, who allowed us to come out today. I hope and wish that we continue to do these events often,” said Clark, echoing the sentiment of collaboration and future events.
| Date Taken: | 09.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2025 23:11 |
| Story ID: | 552289 |
| Location: | GUNSAN, KR |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USAF and ROKAF firefighters kick off Fire Prevention Week, by 1st Lt. Lyca Steelman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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