The White Falcon - 03.12.1993, Page 2

Fire destroys laundry room in family housing
Story and photo by
JOl David W. Crenshaw
An enlisted quarters in the Bird Housing
area laid soot-stained and riddled with debris
after fire ravaged the first-floor apartment
during the morning hours of Nov. 23. No one
was injured, and property damage was mini-
mal.
'Never leave
attendedII
a
er un-

According to Haraldur Stefansson, Naval
Air Station Keflavfk’s fire chief, the fire
began when the clothes dryer’s fan belt and
thermostat failed, causing the appliance to
overheat. Although the fire was restricted
mainly to the laundry room, smoke damage
was apparent throughout the apartment.
Stefansson also stated that the family had
stored many combustable items around the
dryer, including a box of blankets on top of
the dryer. Stefansson pointed
out that while the combustable
materials in proximity were not
involved in starting the fire,
they did allow for the fire to
spread relatively easily.
“Never leave a dryer unat-
tended,” Stefannson said. He
explained that any appliance
should be monitored during its
operation. “You would not go
to the Commissary while cook-
ing dinner and leave the stove
unattended,” he said. “Don’t
go while drying your clothes.”
He also said that combustable
items should never be stored
near an appliance, and that
laundry room doors should
remain open while the washer
or dryer is in operation. How-
ever, he pointed out that, should
a fire begin in the laundry room
or any other room, if time per-
mits, close the door before
evacuating to prevent spread-
ing.
Last week’s fire charred this laundry room at Bird Housing.
letter to the editor
Life is a glacier
By HM2 Lisa Ballint
Life is full of challenges; people who are
not faced with one on occasion are probably
not alive. The most difficult and rewarding
challenge I faced since reporting to NAS
Keflavik was climbing the largest glacier in
Iceland. What was envisioned to be an
“ordinary” hike turned into a National Geo-
graphic expedition. After 11 hours of sheer
determination, I had hit a very definite “peak”
in my life. Many of us experience similar dif-
ficulties on a daily basis and many of us grow
as a result. Had I not been forced to count on
my own abilities, I would not have realized
my potential.
Strength comes from within; looking for
life’s answers externally can leave us frus-
trated internally. So often the answer can
only be found within ourselves and will be
discovered when we muster the courage to
look. Although we never quite know what
we’ll find, the search promotes permanent
growth.
Courage cannot be bought at the Navy
Exchange; it must be developed. It exists
with little more than acknowledgement and
use. Tapping into our strengths often opens
our eyes to skills we never thought we pos-
sessed. These very “tools” offer us the most
assistance when we are faced with that unsur-
mountable “glacier.” Determination, moti-
vation, faith, positive thinking— we are never
faced with a challenge that we are not equipped
to tackle.
If you possess these all-important skills,
why not lend them to someone who is a little
less equipped? Your efforts can help build a
stronger individual.
Gift Shop Sale
Starting this Friday and ev-
ery Friday until Christmas
Eve, the USO will sell
every item in its Gift Shop
at a 15 percent discount.
Call ext. 6113 for more
information.
The White Falcon
Commander, Iceland Defense Force
Rear Adm. Michael D. Haskins
Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Cmdr. Joseph L. Quimby
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Fridth6r Kr. Eydal
Leading Chief Petty Officer
JOC Dave Man-
Public Affairs Leading Petty Officer
JOl David W. Crenshaw
Editor
J03(SW) Andreas Walter
Journalists
J02 (AW) Natalie Dias
J02 Carlos Bongioanni
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