By Wayne Risher
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee)
Copyright 2006 The Commercial Appeal, Inc.
Hernando Fire Department lieutenants Brian Lofton and James ‘Bubba’ Early are accustomed to going into other people’s houses, sometimes under decidedly inhospitable circumstances.
During October, National Fire Prevention Month, the fire prevention officers will be asking the public to come visit them in their house.
The only smoke should be coming from the barbecue grill as it cranks out hamburgers and hotdogs for the guests.
Lofton, Early and Fire Chief Hubert Jones have announced plans for the department’s first Fire and Life Safety Day at 2 p.m. Oct. 28 at Fire Station No. 2 on U.S. 51 North, just south of Nesbit and Pleasant Hill roads.
Joining the effort will be employees of Kawneer, a Hernando-based unit of Alcoa that employs more than 300 people in making aluminum doors and frames. Kawneer will provide service hours as part of an Alcoa Foundation ACTION (Alcoans Coming Together In Our Neighborhood) Grant Program.
Lofton said firefighters, when they’re not fighting fires, spend a good deal of time going out in the community spreading the word about fire prevention and safety. They go to schools, day cares and senior citizen homes.
The Fire and Life Safety Day, which they plan to make an annual event, will provide an opportunity for families and children to get a first-hand view of life at the fire station.
“We want people to come to the fire house and see where we stay,” Lofton said.
A Moon Bounce is practically the only attraction that won’t be somehow related to fire and rescue services.
The event will feature a mobile fire prevention unit from the Horn Lake Fire Department, Sparky the Fire Dog from the Southaven Fire Department and arson detection dogs from the DeSoto County Fire Department. The Batesville Fire Department will put on its program on seatbelt safety, “Be in the Click.”
Craigen’s Garage has donated a junk automobile that will be cut apart in demonstrations of the extrication used by Hernando firefighters to free trapped motorists.
Visitors at the fire and life safety event will be able to see firefighters make the transformation from everyday uniforms to full gear.
Small children can be a bit scared of firefighters in protective gear.
Early said it helps if children see the firefighters before they put on all the equipment.
Jones said he’d been hearing about such events at firefighting conferences and looking for an opportunity to have one here.
Jones said the Nesbit area station is the only one large enough to accommodate a public gathering.
Lofton said the organizers’ sincere hope is that someone at the event will learn something that could save a life.
“If you can reach one kid out of this, that’s what we’re after,” Lofton said.
Kawneer’s goal is to donate 40 or more volunteer hours to qualify for a $3,000 grant from the Alcoa Foundation. The money would help the Fire Department buy confined space rescue equipment.
Kawneer in May sponsored and provided confined space rescue training for 31 Hernando firefighters. Officials said the training, new equipment and grant funds will allow the department to provide better fire and rescue services to all local area businesses and organizations.