Fire Prevention Week is a nationally observed week in the United States and Canada from the Sunday to Saturday in which October 9 falls.

In the United States, the first Presidential Proclamation of the week was made in 1925 by Calvin Coolidge. Since then, the parent organization of the Fire Marshals Association of North America who first created the week, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), continues to be the international sponsor of it.

In Canada, the week is proclaimed annually by the governor general. The Saturday at the end of the week is also proclaimed as "Fire Service Recognition Day" to express appreciation for the many public services of the Canadian fire service.

In Australia, Fire Prevention Week is usually held between April 28 to May 5.

History The Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire. On the 40th anniversary (1911) of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (FMANA), the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), sponsored the first National Fire Prevention Day, deciding to observe the anniversary as a way to keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention. In May 1919, when the NFPA held its 23rd annual meeting in Ottawa at the invitation of the Dominion Fire Prevention Association (DFPA), the NFPA and DFPA both passed resolutions urging governments in the United States and Canada to support the campaign for a common Fire Prevention Day. This was expanded to Fire Prevention Week in 1922. The non-profit NFPA, which has officially sponsored Fire Prevention Week since its inception, selects the annual theme for Fire Prevention Week.

In the United States, the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation was issued by President Woodrow Wilson in 1920. (41 Stat. 1802) When President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week on October 4–10, 1925, he noted that in the previous year, some 15,000 people died from fire in the United States. Calling the loss "startling," Coolidge's proclamation stated: "This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be prevented... It is highly desirable that every effort be made to reform the conditions which have made possible so vast a destruction of the national wealth". (44 Stat. 2583)

The Governor-General issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation in Canada in 1919. The earliest known provincial proclamation of Fire Prevention Day was by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council of Ontario in 1916. Fire Prevention Week was first proclaimed by the Governor-General in 1923. Fire Service Recognition Day was first incorporated into the Governor-General's proclamation of Fire Prevention Week in 1977.

On October 12, 1957, the NBC children's western television series, Fury, starring Peter Graves and Bobby Diamond, aired the episode "Fire Prevention Week" to acquaint youngsters with the dangers of forest fires.

Dates and other information for National Fire Prevention Week are listed on the National Fire Protection Association website each year, including the annual theme.

+Fire Prevention Week Themes Through the YearsYearTheme1925Build Fire-Safe1927Why This Mad Sacrifice to Fire?1928FIRE...Do Your Part – Stop This Waste!1929FIRE - The Nation's Greatest Menace! Do Your Part to Stop this Waste!1930Fight Fire Waste with Fire Prevention. Do Your Part1931Do Your Part to Prevent Fire1932Your Life. Your Property1933Your Life. Your Property1934Now War on Fire1935What Would Fire Mean to You?1936Stop It1937Help Prevention Fires1938Is This Your Tomorrow?1939Was Somebody Careless?1940Keep Fire In Its Place1941Defend Against Fire1942Today Every Fire Helps Hitler1943Fire Fight for Axis! (to emphasize home fire prevention)Feed Firefighters Not Fires (farm and rural campaign)The War's Over for this Plant (industrial use)Was Somebody Careless (general purpose)1944To Speed Victory - Prevent Fires (general purpose)Feed Firefighters Not Fires (farm and rural campaign)To Speed Victory, Defeat Fire (town plaster)1945We Burned the Enemy - Now Save Yourself from Fire1946FIRE is the Silent Partner of Inflation1947YOU caused 1,700,000 Fires last Year!1948Help Yourself to Fire Prevention!1949Flameproof Your Future!1950Don't Let Fire Lick You1951Defend America From Fire1952Be Free from Fear of Fire1953Fire Feeds on Careless Deeds1954Let's Grow Up - Not Burn Up1955Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1956Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1957Make Sure of Their Tomorrows - Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1958Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1959Fire Prevention is Your Job...Too1960Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1961Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1962Fire Prevention is Your Job...Too1963Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1964Fire Prevention is Your Job...Too1965Don't Give Fire a Place to Start1966Fight Fire1967Fire Hurts1968Fire Hurts1969Fire Hurts1970Fire Hurts1971Fire Hurts1972Fire Hurts1973Help Stop Fire1974Things That Burn1975Learn Not to Burn1976Learn Not to Burn1977Where There's Smoke, There Should Be a Smoke Alarm1978You Are Not Alone!1979Partners in Fire Prevention1980Partners in Fire Prevention1981EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home)1982Learn Not To Burn - Wherever You Are1983Learn Not To Burn All Through the Year1984Join the Fire Prevention Team1985Fire Drills Save Lives at Home at School at Work1986Learn Not to Burn It Really Works!1987Play it Safe...Plan Your Escape1988A Sound You Can Live With—Test Your Smoke Detector!1989Big Fires Start Small: Keep matches and lighters in the right hands1990Make Your Place Firesafe: Hunt for Home Hazards1991Fire Won't Wait - Plan Your Escape!1992Test Your Detector - It's Sound Advice!1993Get Out, Stay Out: Your Fire Safe Response1994Test Your Detectors for Life1995Watch What You Heat: Prevent Home Fires!1996Let's Hear It For Safety: Test Your Detectors!1997Know When to Go: React Fast to Fire1998Fire Drills: The Great Escape1999Fire Drills: The Great Escape2000Fire Drills: The Great Escape2001Cover the Bases and Strike Out Fire2002Team Up for Fire Safety2003When Fire Strikes: Get Out, Stay Out!2004It's Fire Prevention Week! Test Your Smoke Alarms2005Use Candles with Care2006Prevent Cooking Fires. Watch What You Heat2007Practice Your Escape Plan2008Prevent Home Fires2009Stay Fire Safe. Don't Get Burned2010Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With2011Protect Your Family From Fire2012Have 2 Ways Out2013Prevent Kitchen Fires2014Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives. Test Yours Every Month2015Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm2016Don't Wait. Check the Date. Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years2017Every Second Counts. Plan Two Ways Out2018Look. Listen. Learn. Fire Can Happen Anywhere2019Not Every Hero Wears a Cape: Plan and Practice Your Escape2020Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen2021Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety2022Fire Won't Wait, Plan Your Escape2023Cooking Safety Starts with YOU. Pay Attention to Fire Prevention.2024Smoke Alarms: Make Them WORK for You!2025CHARGE into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home2026CHARGE Into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower

Noted fires 1871 Great Chicago Fire Peshtigo Fire

References An internal document prepared by the staff of HRSDC - Fire Prevention Branch (formerly Office of the Fire Commissioner of Canada) for staff training and briefing, based on a review of the following sources: NFPA Journal - various editions; NFPA Community Awareness kit; Minutes of the Association of Canadian Fire Marshals & Fire Commissioners (ACFM/FC), June 18–21, 1952 Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Dominion Fire Prevention Association (DFPA), May 19, 1919 Minutes of the 68th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), August 22–26, 1976 Archival copies of the Fire Prevention Day/Week Proclamations - Registrar General of Canada

Notes

External links Fire Prevention Week