FROM THE FIRE CHIEF'S CORNER: NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION WEEK OCT. 9-15

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

“Fire Won’t Wait - Plan Your Escape!”

October 1, 2022 (San Diego) -- This year marks the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week. Fire Prevention Week is to bring heightened awareness to saving lives, preventing injuries, and protecting property. Start planning and sharing with family and friends now!

Fire Prevention Week will take place October 9–15, 2022. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced its theme for this year: “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape.”

This theme reinforces the critical importance of developing a home escape plan with all members of the household and practicing it regularly.

Fire Prevention Background

National Fire Prevention Week is celebrated each year during the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The incident began the night of October 8 of that year in a barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O’Leary. Though historians are uncertain how the blaze actually began, local legend says it was sparked when a cow kicked over a lantern. Regardless of the actual cause, the result was devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed over 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.

Ironically, the fire cleared the way for a newer, much improved Chicago. Ten years after the fire, the city population had nearly doubled. Twenty years later, the Windy City was home to over 1 million people and featured the world’s first true skyscrapers. The site where the O’Leary barn once stood now hosts the training academy of the Chicago Fire Department.

The Importance of Prevention

Here are a few handy facts to use in your messaging around National Fire Prevention Week:

• Every year, almost 4,000 people die and 2,000 are seriously injured in U.S. house fires.
• Around 80% of all civilian fire deaths happen in the home.
• Adults aged 65 and up are over twice as likely to die in fires than younger people.
• Having functional smoke detectors more than doubles a person’s chances of surviving a house fire.
• It takes just 3-1/2 minutes for the heat from a house fire to top 1,100 degrees.
• In a house fire, rooms that are not actively burning can still reach temperatures of over 300 F, which can result in fatalities.
• Improperly extinguished cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths in America.

Spotlight on Pets. Though National Pet Fire Safety Month is in April, don’t forget your pets in your planning. According to the National Fire Protection Association, around 1,000 home fires are caused each year by homeowners’ pets, and about 40,000 pets die in house fires.

Here are some key messages behind this year’s “Fire Won’t Wait; Plan Your Escape” theme:

• The most important thing you can do is create a home escape plan that will work for everyone in your household. Make sure it meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Smoke alarms should be installed inside every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, all of them sound.
• When possible, make sure your plan allows for at least two ways out of every room. Check to ensure all windows and doors are easy to access and open.
• Agree on an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home to use in the event of a house fire.
• Put your escape plan into action by conducting home fire drills at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Alternate between daytime and nighttime drills. For simplicity, you can do these drills at the same time you change the batteries in your smoke alarms.

--Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

*Note: The information in this article was compiled from various sources. These suggestions are not a complete list of every preventative or loss control measure. This information is not intended to replace additional safety manuals or the advice of another qualified professional(s). We make no guarantee of results from the use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.