Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week is an annual event in October to raise awareness about fire safety and prevention. This year, Fire Prevention Week will be from October 5th to the 11th. Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire that began on October 8, 1871, and caused widespread destruction. The observance has been in place since 1922, and the U.S. Presidents have proclaimed a national observance every year since 1925, making it the longest-running public health and safety observance on record in the United States.
The theme for Fire Prevention Week this year is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home!”. This campaign focuses on educating the public about the importance of using lithium-ion batteries safely by stressing three key steps:
- BUY only listed (safety-certified) products.
- CHARGE devices safely (use original cords, don’t overcharge, charge on a hard surface).
- RECYCLE batteries responsibly (do not throw them in the trash).
General Fire Safety Tips
Regardless of the annual theme, Fire Prevention Week is a great time to review essential home fire safety measures.
- Smoke Alarms
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside all bedrooms, and outside all sleeping areas.
- Test your smoke alarms monthly.
- Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older.
- Escape Planning
- Develop a Home Fire Escape Plan with your family.
- Know at least two ways out of every room.
- Designate an outside meeting place where everyone will gather after escaping.
- Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
- Once you are out, stay out and call the emergency number (like 9-1-1) from a neighbor’s house.
- Cooking Safety
- Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or boiling food.
- Keep anything that can burn (towels, oven mitts, curtains) at least three feet away from the stove.
- Turn pot handles inward toward the back of the stove.
- Heating Safety
- Keep portable and space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn.
- Plug space heaters directly into the wall outlet, never into an extension cord or power strip.
- Turn off space heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.
- Matches and Lighters
- Store matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet, out of a child’s sight or reach.
Safety Tip Challenge
Employers should use Fire Prevention Week to refresh their safety plans. This means mandating a practice fire drill, ensuring all escape routes are clear and posted, and reviewing procedures for assisting employees with disabilities. Crucially, conduct a maintenance check to verify that fire alarms, extinguishers, and sprinklers are working. Finally, prioritize education on electrical hazards and the proper charging and disposal of lithium-ion batteries, the focus of this year’s campaign, to maintain a safe workplace.
Not only can this information keep your workplace safe, but it can also help provide you and your team with practices that can benefit them in their personal lives.
