YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea - As part of Fire Prevention Week, the U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan Fire Department invited local Korean firefighters to partner with them to raise awareness of fire prevention.

Dozens of children from the Seoul American Elementary School participated in an awareness event Oct. 8. They saw how fire extinguisher work, and performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on a manikin.

"Today is a special day for us," said John Derengowski, USAG-Yongsan Fire Department chief of technical services. "We invited our friends from the Yongsan District Fire Department. They have supported us for many years."

Local Korean firefighters demonstrated a simulated emergency evacuation.

"The main audience here is children," said Seo Jae-geun, Yongsan District Fire Department chief education officer. "As you know, children have much to learn about safety issues. We hope to raise awareness through this program."

For Patricia Minkle, a 4h grade teacher at SAES, bringing the children to participate in this event was a good way to complement what students learn in class.

"I brought my students here last year," Minkle said. "When they watched videos on fire prevention in class, they remembered things that they had learned during this event . I think this is great."

Donnie Carter, 9, said the activity taught him a lot.

"When there is a fire in the house and you are trying to get out, check the door and see if it's hot. If it's hot go the other way."

Children also got a chance to speak to "Pluggie," a robotic fire hydrant that can talk and blink. Pluggie asked them fire safety questions to review the events activities.

"Programs like this help to reduce fire losses," Derengowski said. "If we have a good education system, the fire rate is low - if we don't, the rate will be high.

Derengowski said he hopes children will bring the education home.

"It will go a long was to help raise awareness in every household in the community," he said.