Fire prevention week increases awareness Published Oct. 7, 2010 By 2nd Lt. Tyler Gross 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The Vance Fire Department continues to increase fire safety awareness through its annual fire prevention week. The event, hosted by the Vance Fire Department worked to increase fire protection and safety through fire extinguisher training classes, smoke detector training for young children and a coloring contest at Eisenhower Elementary school. The week, which began Oct. 4, ran for five days started off with a fire prevention assembly at Eisenhower where the students saw an animated slide show about smoke detector safety and got to meet Sparky, the fire safety mascot. The week continued with 15 fire extinguisher training classes, and daily fire safety reminders being posted on the base electronic marquees. "It's mandatory for everyone on base to receive fire extinguisher safety training," said Clay Gillock, one of the base's fire safety inspectors. "This week allows us to train a large portion of the base population. Last year we trained 300 people during fire prevention week." Fire prevention week will end with a winner selected in the Eisenhower school coloring contest.