Many relate fire safety to the month of October and local fire departments usually receive a lot of calls to visit schools, businesses and daycares. Fire Prevention Week occurs each year during the week of October 9th to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire which started on October 8, 1871. The loss caused by that fire laid the foundations for many building and fire codes we still rely on today. Our crews have been busy for the past couple of weeks and are scheduled out for a few more with public education events surrounding fire safety education. For all those grown up kids that don't get to have the fire trucks and firefighters visit their work, you are welcome to come see us at one of the stations and we'll show you the truck and talk with you about fire safety so you aren't left out. We may even have a firefighter's hat for you to take home... This year's theme for Fire Prevention Week is "Smoke Alarms, Make Them Work for You". Working smoke detectors provide early warning when a fire occurs. That early warning can make a life or death difference to someone in a house fire. Please check your smoke detectors and make sure they are less than ten years old, the batteries are less than six months old and that they are located on every level of your home and in sleeping areas. If you aren't sure about the age, there's usually a sticker on the bottom that has the year of manufacture listed. If you aren't sure about the age of the batteries, replace them and put the old ones in a TV remote or that loud toy your kids will get for their next birthday of holiday. If you heat with gas, oil or wood you should also have Carbon Monoxide detectors.
If you have any questions about smoke or CO detectors, or anything else related to fire safety give us a call or come by the station.
