Fire Prevention Week
National Fire Prevention Week is observed in the United States and Canada during the week (from Sunday to Saturday), in which October 9 falls.
| Fire Prevention Week | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Fire Prevention Week |
| Observed by | United States |
| Date | October |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 1925 |
In the United States, the first Presidential Proclamation of Fire Prevention Week was made in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) continues to be the international sponsor of the week.
In Canada, Fire Prevention Week is proclaimed annually by the Governor General. The Saturday ending the week is also proclaimed as Fire Service Recognition Day to express appreciation for the many public services rendered by members of the Canadian fire service. While in Australia, Fire Prevention Week is usually held between April 28 to May 5.[1]
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.[2] 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".[3][4]
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.[5]
Dates and other information for National Fire Prevention Week are listed on the National Fire Protection Association website each year, including the annual theme.
| Year | Theme |
|---|---|
| 1925 | Build Fire-Safe |
| 1927 | Why This Mad Sacrifice to Fire? |
| 1928 | FIRE...Do Your Part – Stop This Waste! |
| 1929 | FIRE - The Nation's Greatest Menace! Do Your Part to Stop this Waste! |
| 1930 | Fight Fire Waste with Fire Prevention. Do Your Part |
| 1931 | Do Your Part to Prevent Fire |
| 1932 | Your Life. Your Property |
| 1933 | Your Life. Your Property |
| 1934 | Now War on Fire |
| 1935 | What Would Fire Mean to You? |
| 1936 | Stop It |
| 1937 | Help Prevention Fires |
| 1938 | Is This Your Tomorrow? |
| 1939 | Was Somebody Careless? |
| 1940 | Keep Fire In Its Place |
| 1941 | Defend Against Fire |
| 1942 | Today Every Fire Helps Hitler |
| 1943 | Fire 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) | |
| 1944 | To Speed Victory - Prevent Fires (general purpose) |
| Feed Firefighters Not Fires (farm and rural campaign) | |
| To Speed Victory, Defeat Fire (town plaster) | |
| 1945 | We Burned the Enemy - Now Save Yourself from Fire |
| 1946 | FIRE is the Silent Partner of Inflation |
| 1947 | YOU caused 1,700,000 Fires last Year! |
| 1948 | Help Yourself to Fire Prevention! |
| 1949 | Flameproof Your Future! |
| 1950 | Don't Let Fire Lick You |
| 1951 | Defend America From Fire |
| 1952 | Be Free from Fear of Fire |
| 1953 | Fire Feeds on Careless Deeds |
| 1954 | Let's Grow Up - Not Burn Up |
| 1955 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1956 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1957 | Make Sure of Their Tomorrows - Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1958 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1959 | Fire Prevention is Your Job...Too |
| 1960 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1961 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1962 | Fire Prevention is Your Job...Too |
| 1963 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1964 | Fire Prevention is Your Job...Too |
| 1965 | Don't Give Fire a Place to Start |
| 1966 | Fight Fire |
| 1967 | Fire Hurts |
| 1968 | Fire Hurts |
| 1969 | Fire Hurts |
| 1970 | Fire Hurts |
| 1971 | Fire Hurts |
| 1972 | Fire Hurts |
| 1973 | Help Stop Fire |
| 1974 | Things That Burn |
| 1975 | Learn Not to Burn |
| 1976 | Learn Not to Burn |
| 1977 | Where There's Smoke, There Should Be a Smoke Alarm |
| 1978 | You Are Not Alone! |
| 1979 | Partners in Fire Prevention |
| 1980 | Partners in Fire Prevention |
| 1981 | EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home) |
| 1982 | Learn Not To Burn - Wherever You Are |
| 1983 | Learn Not To Burn All Through the Year |
| 1984 | Join the Fire Prevention Team |
| 1985 | Fire Drills Save Lives at Home at School at Work |
| 1986 | Learn Not to Burn It Really Works! |
| 1987 | Play it Safe...Plan Your Escape |
| 1988 | A Sound You Can Live With—Test Your Smoke Detector! |
| 1989 | Big Fires Start Small: Keep matches and lighters in the right hands |
| 1990 | Make Your Place Firesafe: Hunt for Home Hazards |
| 1991 | Fire Won't Wait - Plan Your Escape! |
| 1992 | Test Your Detector - It's Sound Advice! |
| 1993 | Get Out, Stay Out: Your Fire Safe Response |
| 1994 | Test Your Detectors for Life |
| 1995 | Watch What You Heat: Prevent Home Fires! |
| 1996 | Let's Hear It For Safety: Test Your Detectors! |
| 1997 | Know When to Go: React Fast to Fire |
| 1998 | Fire Drills: The Great Escape |
| 1999 | Fire Drills: The Great Escape |
| 2000 | Fire Drills: The Great Escape |
| 2001 | Cover the Bases and Strike Out Fire |
| 2002 | Team Up for Fire Safety |
| 2003 | When Fire Strikes: Get Out, Stay Out! |
| 2004 | It's Fire Prevention Week! Test Your Smoke Alarms |
| 2005 | Use Candles with Care |
| 2006 | Prevent Cooking Fires. Watch What You Heat |
| 2007 | Practice Your Escape Plan |
| 2008 | Prevent Home Fires |
| 2009 | Stay Fire Safe. Don't Get Burned |
| 2010 | Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With |
| 2011 | Protect Your Family From Fire |
| 2012 | Have 2 Ways Out |
| 2013 | Prevent Kitchen Fires |
| 2014 | Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives. Test Yours Every Month |
| 2015 | Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm |
| 2016 | Don't Wait. Check the Date. Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years |
| 2017 | Every Second Counts. Plan Two Ways Out |
| 2018 | Look. Listen. Learn. Fire Can Happen Anywhere |
| 2019 | Not Every Hero Wears a Cape: Plan and Practice Your Escape |
| 2020 | Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen |
| 2021 | Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety |
| 2022 | Fire Won't Wait, Plan Your Escape |
| 2023 | Cooking Safety Starts with YOU. Pay Attention to Fire Prevention. |
Noted fires
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
- ^ Beveridge, Katina. "Australia's Fire Prevention Week". Control Fire Protection. Control Fire Protection. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ . 1920-11-07 – via Wikisource. (41 Stat. 1802)
- ^ "Fire Prevention History". FireSafety.buffnet.net. Archived from the original on 1998-01-09. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ . 1925-11-11 – via Wikisource. (44 Stat. 2583)
- ^ ""Fire Prevention Week", Fury, October 12, 1957". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved February 5, 2013.