October 9th – 15th marks National Fire Prevention Week. Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871.* The devastating loss of life and property to this blaze serve to remind us of the importance of fire prevention practices.
This year’s theme is “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every Ten Years.”
Remember these key messages:
- Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
- Make sure you know how old all the smoke alarms are in your home.
- To find out how old a smoke alarm is, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm; the alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date.
*Source: nfpa.org