National Fire Safety Week: Be Aware, Be Prepared

Fire Prevention Week was established in 1922 to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which killed more than 250 people and left 100,000 homeless. Every year, there is a new theme that addresses with fire safety. “Hear the Beep where you Sleep” is this year’s campaign, which aims to promote the importance of having working smoke alarms in every home.

Although the theme is about smoke alarms, the campaign stresses the importance of fire safety all around. If you have smoke alarms in your home, it’s also very important to know how to prevent a fire and what to do in case a fire occurs.

NFPA provides a wealth of information about fire prevention on their website. Educators and workers in the fire service can find facts, statistics, lessons, quizzes as well as activity sheets that can help them promote fire awareness in the community. There is also a special portal for children where they can learn fire safety in a format suited to their age.

As usual, you can purchase campaign merchandise, such as hats, T-Shirts, stickers, activity books for kids, fire safety sports box and more. These products will help you spread the word about fire safety and increase fire awareness in your community.

With the cold season at our doorstep, this week is the perfect time to further your fire safety knowledge. Those who live in colder climates and require heating equipment for warmth are especially encouraged to take caution when using heating devices. Follows us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ for more valuable safety information.