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Fire Prevention Week - Safety Tips

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 9th 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.

See below for some simple steps you can take to help prevent a disaster.

Fire Prevention Week Best Practices from San Miguel Fire and the National Fire Protection Association  ________________________________________   •	Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.  •	Keep fire extinguishers in places where fire is most likely to occur (kitchen, garage, laundry room).  •	Maintain 3 feet of clearance around heaters, and turn them off when you leave or go to sleep.  •	Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.  •	Inspect electrical cords and replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs, or have loose connections.  •	Keep candles at least 1 foot from anything that can burn, and blow them out when you leave the room or go to sleep.  •	Have a home fire escape plan  •	Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas, and test them regularly.  •	If you are building or remodeling your home, install residential fire sprinklers. Sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive.  •	If you have a fireplace, ensure you have a sturdy screen to keep sparks from flying into the room.  •	Never leave a bonfire unattended, and be sure to have an extinguisher or hose nearby. Logo for San Miguel Fire & Rescue and NFPA at the bottom of the page.
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