IMPERIAL VALLEY – “Every big fire starts as a small fire,” Firefighter Paramedic Joel Rivera shared with five-years-old and older kids at a fire prevention presentation at the Camarena Memorial Library, held for National Fire Prevention Week, on Monday, October 9, in Calexico.
The presentation was one of the many actions that Imperial Valley fire departments are taking to alert the community about fire prevention during National Fire Prevention Week, which runs October 8-14.
The Fire Prevention Week theme: “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention,” aims to inform people of the simple but crucial steps they can take to protect themselves and those around them when cooking.
Brawley, Calexico and El Centro Fire Departments focused on spreading awareness about fire prevention while hosting open house events, making presentations and tours at schools and sharing safety tips with the community.
“Nationwide, cooking fires are the leading causes of injuries,” Brawley Fire Department Deputy Chief Juan Rodelo said in an interview with IVP.
“A large percentage of burn victims occur through accidents while cooking at home, so it’s very important for us to get the message out,” El Centro Fire Department Deputy Chief Joseph Bernal said.
The correct precautions for every accident can be taken by educating the community about fire prevention with proper information, the firefighters said.
El Centro Fire Department hosted an Open House event on Saturday, October 7, were they had several static displays, including helicopters from REACH Air Medical Services and Mercy Air, and local police departments as well their fire engines on display. Station tours and an obstacle course for children were also part of the event.
“It gave us an opportunity to reach out to the community, invite them into our ‘home,’ and kind of give them a behind-the-scenes peek of how the fire station operates,” Bernal said.
Brawley Fire Department also hosts their own Open House event this Saturday, October 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bringing awareness to fire prevention is not the only but the main focus of the fire departments around the Imperial Valley.
“We want to remind these children and the public that firefighters are your friends,” Calexico Firefighter Paramedic Jose Duarte said. “We’re the public (too).”
All the actions taken in the Fire Prevention Week also bring visibility to the firefighters – seen as heroes – as community members. Visiting the firehouses, meeting the fire department staff and getting to know more about the firefighter’s equipment is a way to get closer to the firefighters in the community and get familiar with them.
“We’re not special,” Calexico firefighter Paramedic Edgar Morales said. “We have families, too. We’re part of this community. We’re on the same team here and just trying to protect ourselves and each other.”
Morales also mentioned how important it is to give presentations to schools as well as fire station tours, focusing on the youth.
“Kids might see us with our masks on helmets and all our gear and might get scared,” Morales said. “Showing them what we have right now are our tools and access, maybe they’ll be a little bit less scared once they see us and know what we do,” he said.
