What is Fire Prevention Week?
Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
Fire Prevention Week™ (FPW™) is
October 6 to 12, 2024
This year’s FPW campaign, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!™” strives to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home.
What is your alarm telling you?
Smoke Alarms
• A continued set of three loud beeps—beep, beep, beep—means smoke or fire. Get out, call 9-1-1, and stay out.
• A single “chirp” every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low and must be changed.
• All smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years.
• Chirping that continues after the battery has been replaced means the alarm is at the end of its life and the unit must be replaced.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms
• A continuous set of four loud beeps—beep, beep, beep,
beep—means carbon monoxide is present in your home. Go outside, call 9-1-1 and stay out.
• A single chirp every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low and must be replaced.
• CO alarms also have “end of life” sounds that vary by manufacturer. This means it’s time to get a new CO alarm.
• Chirping that continues after the battery has been replaced means
the alarm is at the end of its life and
the unit must be replaced.
Find the right alarm
Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of everyone in your home, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
Some tips:
✔ Install a bedside alert device that responds to the sound of the smoke
and CO alarms. Use of a low frequency alarm can also wake a sleeping person with mild to severe hearing loss.
✔ Sleep with your mobility device, glasses, and phone close to your bed.
✔ Keep pathways like hallways lit with night lights and free from clutter to make sure everyone can get out safely.
There are special alarms and devices to ensure everyone can be alerted in case of fire or high CO levels.
- When the smoke alarm sounds, strobe lights flash to alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing of a possible fire when they are awake.
- When they are asleep, a pillow or bed shaker should be used to wake and alert them to fire conditions so they can escape. This device is activated by the sound of a standard smoke alarm. People who are deaf may find that the shaker paired with a high-intensity strobe light is helpful to wake them.
- These special devices and alarms can also signal when the battery is low.
Research the different products and select the ones that fit the needs of the people in your home. These can be easily installed without a professional. Products can be found in home improvement stores, online, and on manufacturer websites. Pick devices that are listed by a qualified testing
laboratory, which is often disclosed on the product’s packaging.
Where to install
Smoke Alarms
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- For the best protection, choose interconnected smoke alarms. When one sounds, they all sound.
- Test alarms at least once a month using the test button.
- Replace smoke alarms if they are over 10 years old.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms
- Install CO alarms outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home. This includes the basement and attic. Do not place alarms near fireplaces or fuel-burning appliances. Check to see what the law is in your community for placement.
- Replace CO alarms between 5 to 10 years or as stated in the manufacturer’s instructions.
Make a plan
Everyone in the home should know the sounds and signals of the smoke and CO alarms. When the alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Have an outside meeting place to make sure that everyone gets out safely. Call 9-1-1
from outside your home from a mobile phone or a trusted neighbor’s phone.
