This is the theme of the 1st Air Cavalry Division's Fire Safety Week Feb. 21 to 28. According to Phuoc Vinh Fire Chief Grant Francisco, most fires in division base camps and firebases are caused by carelessness and can be prevented.

"But fire prevention is hard to sell. It's like getting people to fasten safety belts in cars," he said. "It's very stupid to come out of combat safe and then get caught in a fire. That's ignorant.

There were 45 fires reported in Phuoc Vinh during December, though Chief Francisco said others may not have been called in. Most are caused by careless practices at mess halls and at ammunition and fuel points.

These conclusions are supported by Raymond C. Rogers, the division's Ground Safety Director. "The type of building used in Southeast Asia is conducive to fire," he said. "The peaked roof acts as a blow torch sucking in oxygen. The typical mess hall will go up in flames in 12 minutes.

The use of gasoline rather than diesel fuel in and around mess halls is the greatest source of injuries and fire safety violations. A second danger comes in the form of static electricity.

"The man who does not close the cap at the end of his Claymore wire and then unravels that wire close to a row of concertina is building the best transformer known to man," Rogers said. Similarly, an improperly grounded helicopter being refueled with JP-4 is in danger of an explosion.

In the barracks, most fires can be prevented. "At best, we have some of the worst wiring in the world," asserted Rogers. "Ordinarily, though, it will short out before there is a fire. More often they are caused by the guy with a candle next to  his bed. He heres incoming, kicks over the candle and there is a fire."

"This is the critical fire season in Vietnam," Rogers said. "Unfortunately, people handle explosives and fuels for a while and get careless. They don't believe a fire will break out until they see it."

Bee Fighter... (US Army Photo by SP4 James McCabe) An inventive Cavalryman uses smoke to drive out an army of bees that had set up their headquarters in a radar installation at Fire Support Base Buttons, home of the division's 2nd Brigade.