This year’s campaign, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”, strives to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home.
Oct. 6-12 is Fire Prevention Week, and 2024 marks the 102nd anniversary of this important public safety campaign. Fire safety education isn’t just for school children. It’s important for every member of the community to take some time during Fire Prevention Week to make sure they understand how to stay safe in case of a fire.
According to NFPA, smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (54 percent). Meanwhile, roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Key smoke alarm safety tips and guidelines
- Install
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of the home.
Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities. - Test
Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button. - Replace
Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or stop responding when tested.
About Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country.
