Fire Prevention Week

10/1/2017 (Permalink)

Celebration of Fire Prevention Week

This year, Fire Prevention Week in the United States is from October 8th through October 14th. According to the National Archives and Records Administration's Library Information Center, fire prevention week is on Record as the longest running public health observance. 

The first National fire prevention week was October 4th through the 10th in 1925. This started a tradition of the President of the United States signing a proclamation of recognition for the annual occasion. The yearly event falls on the week of October 9th and runs Sunday through Saturday. 

The week is in commemoration with the "Great Chicago Fire". The Great Chicago Fire took place on October 8th-9th 1871. This dreadful fire burned over 2,000 acres, destroyed over 17,400 structures, left 100,000 people homeless, and killed more than 250 people. Legend has it, the fire started after a cow kicked over a lamp. 

Source: www.nfpa.org