October is Fire Prevention Safety Month

October 21, 2024

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 residents homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 buildings. In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week to commemorate this tragic event. Although we still observe Fire Prevention Week, the initiative has grown to include the entire month of October.

Fire Prevention Safety Month helps to raise fire safety awareness and build safer communities. Each year, the NFPA joins forces with fire departments across the country to share safety information with school students, community organizations and other members of the public to teach people how to protect their families and homes in the event of a fire.

Here are some simple but important steps you can take now to make sure you’re prepared not only during Fire Prevention Safety Month, but throughout the entire year:

Close Your Bedroom Door – It Could Save Your Life

Watch this video* to see how closing your bedroom door can help save your life in the event of a fire. Baby monitors and other electronic options are available if you want to make sure you can hear your children or other family members throughout the night.

*By clicking the link in this article, you are entering a website maintained by an outside party, which is entirely responsible for the site’s content.
  • Install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors throughout your home – including the basement. The alarms work around the clock and can provide an early alert in case of a fire or CO event, helping to give everyone time to safely escape.
  • Maintain the detectors by testing them regularly, changing the batteries every six months and replacing the devices every 10 years. (A good reminder is to replace alarm batteries when we change the clocks in the fall and the spring.)
  • Make sure fire extinguishers are easily accessible on every level of your home – especially in the kitchen and garage – to help stop small fires from causing more damage. Also, ensure you know how to operate a fire extinguisher before needing to use one.
  • Create a fire escape plan that includes escape routes and a muster point away from the home where first responders can see you – then make sure you practice the plan.
  • Teach children how to escape on their own, in case you can’t help, and make sure they know how to dial 911 for assistance.
  • Never leave the kitchen unattended while cooking.

Seconds can be the difference between life and death in the event of a fire. Make FirstEnergy’s core value of Safety personal by installing reliable smoke and CO detectors around your home and taking other proactive steps to help keep you and your loved ones safe in the event of a fire or CO emergency.