October 21, 2016
Kaiserslautern American
Page 3
86 CES hosts open house, celebrates fire prevention week
A firefighter assigned to the 786th Civil Engineer Squadron demonstrates the effects of a grease fire to a crowd during an open house Oct. 8 on Ramstein. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, 90 percent of house fires involve cooking equipment, with over half of those spawning from grease fires.
Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Fire Prevention Week kicked off with an open house for families in the KMC Oct. 8 on Ramstein. The goal of Fire Prevention Week is to educate the public on taking precautions to prevent harmful fires and learn how to survive them. It is a proactive method of reducing emergencies and PINK, from Page 1
against breast cancer, while the profits would be donated to research efforts for the disease. Some of the proceeds would also go to unit events. The shirts would be used as the 86th Medical Group’s Friday morale shirt but would be available for sale to anyone. “I didn’t really come up with the idea. I heard about it from somewhere else,” Jarvis said. “(Senior) Airman Hebner took that idea, ran with it, and she did a great job. I was very, very proud of her.” Jarvis was impressed by Hebner’s initiative, saying the senior airman, who was recently selected to be a staff sergeant, showed promising leadership skills. “(Senior) Airman Hebner is a very smart Airman,” Jarvis said. “I knew she was deserving for that staff sergeant stripe. I think that she has absolutely unlimited potential. To see her do that, it solidifies that the Air Force got this right.” Hebner cited her family,
the damage caused by them, said Brent Blasco, 86th Civil Engineer Squadron assistant chief of fire prevention. To educate the KMC, the unit held an open house and filled it with entertainment and informational booths. “We wanted people to come out and participate in these activities we have,” Blasco said. This year, the event was the biggest it has been yet at Ramstein, featuring a morning parade followed by the open
particularly those who have fought breast cancer, as the main inspiration for her to push through with the pink shirt initiative. “They were the main reason that I wanted to do this and help raise money for it,” Hebner said. “It made me want to fight a little bit harder, and there were definitely roadblocks while doing this. I would have easily given up on this if it wasn’t for them. Trying to find a cure for this horrible disease that affects so many women, that’s my drive,” Hebner said. “They are human just like us. They get over this obstacle of breast cancer. They keep fighting the fight, and they keep living their lives.” Hebner gave credit to her colleagues who helped her carry out the pink shirt initiative, saying they played a big role in supporting her cause. Her wingmen at the medical group stood by her in her fight for breast cancer awareness, she said. “They really helped me push through this,” Hebner said. “I was coming out from downstairs, and I saw every-
house, which also featured exhibits of different fires and what effects they can have. “From fire extinguisher training to grease pot fires, we have a lot of ways to bring awareness of fire hazards to the community,” Blasco said. “I’d say the open house was unique compared to all the ones we’ve ever done, so it was a success.” According to the National Fire Prevention Association, 90 percent of house fires involve cooking equipment, with over half of those being grease fires. After two hours of the open house, firefighters shifted focus to show off a vehicle extrication training exercise in front of the open house attendants. A vehicle extrication is the process of removing a vehicle from around a person who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident when conventional means of exit are impossible or inadvisable. Ramstein firefighters worked with local national firefighters to accomplish the extrication. This effort displayed the ability for both U.S. and German forces to work together and accomplish tasks effectively. “It’s a great opportunity for us all to work with the German firefighters,”
one in their scrubs and pink shirts. Even the guys were rocking it at the front desks. We also had patients coming in that had their pink shirts.” Jarvis cited Hebner as an example young Airmen can follow, saying her role in initiating the pink shirt project proves that junior enlisted Airmen are capable of showing good leadership. “She showed them that it’s okay to step outside the box; it’s okay to get out of your comfort zone sometimes,” Jarvis said. “I think by doing that, she set a great example. If she can do it, why can’t they?” Hebner said her empathy for those who struggle with the disease and the drive to raise awareness for their cause helped her to push forward. “When I was doing this, I thought about them a lot,” Hebner said. “I have never led something this big, especially at Ramstein, which is such a huge base. It was a little intimidating at first because it was such a big task; seeing the end product is definitely worth it. It was
said Senior Airman Dylon Bilskemper, 86 CES firefighter. “They are full of experience and help lead the team. Working with them allows us to combine the best of our unique abilities to accomplish the mission.” Spreading awareness is only the beginning when it comes to developing a culture of fire safety amongst the community. Team Ramstein can now ensure its safety from fire hazards by maintaining proper fire prevention behavior. For questions, message the KMC Fire Department on Facebook at www. facebook.com/KMCFire/.
A firefighter assigned to the 786th Civil Engineer Squadron performs a vehicle extrication during an open house event training exercise Oct. 8 on Ramstein. Vehicle extrication is the process of removing a vehicle from around a person who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident when conventional means of exit are impossible or inadvisable.
my family that got me started, but it’s all the women who
are affected by it that kept me going.”