Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week is October 9 - 15, 2022

Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape™”, works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires.

Help us celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week!

Green background. Sparky the Fire Dog giving a high-five to a little mouse wearing a fire helmet. Text beside them says 'Here's to 100 Years of Prevention Home Fires'. Blue background with a picture of a vintage Sparky the Fire Dog.

The History of Fire Prevention Week

Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (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.

Fire Prevention Week Activities

We invite you to join us on the following dates to get the tools and knowledge to stay safe from fire!

Tuesday, October 11

Bayview Hill Community Centre

114 Spadina Road

5:00pm - 8:30pm

Wednesday, October 12

Elgin West Community Centre

11099 Bathurst Street

5:00pm - 8:30pm

Thursday, October 13

Oak Ridges Community Centre

12895 Bayview Avenue

5:00pm - 8:30pm

Saturday, October 15

Loblaw's

301 High Tech Road

10:00am - 2:00pm

Please remember to bring or buy a non-perishable food item for Loblaw's food drive!

Sunday, October 9 - Saturday, October 15 - Social Media Contest

Join us on social media throughout Fire Prevention Week for a chance to win some great prizes including an RHFES prize pack, a Domino's Pizza gift card or a 72-Hour Emergency Kit!

To qualify to win:

Simply like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter or Instagram
Like or share our daily Fire Prevention Week posts

Each like, follow or share will count as one entry. For an additional entry, comment on any of our Fire Prevention Week posts with at least one fire smart thing you currently do or plan on doing around your home.

The draw will be held the week of October 16th. The winners will be required to pick up their prizes from our Headquarters at 1200 Elgin Mills Road East.

Sunday, October 9 - Friday, October 21 - Poster Contest

Help us celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week with a poster contest! We invite all Richmond Hill elementary schools to participate in our Home Escape Plan Poster Contest.

How to participate:

Red and blue background with text 'Fire Prevention Week Home Escape Plan Poster Contest' at the top of the image. Below are lines of text listing how to participate.

STEP 1: Encourage students to test their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms at home to make sure they are working.
STEP 2: Encourage students to create and practice their home escape plan with their families.
STEP 3: Once they know their escape plan and meeting spot, show us their knowledge! Draw your home escape planning tips on a poster to share with your community.

Some suggestions include:

Have 2 ways out of every room
Plan for people and pets who may need assistance evacuating
Remember to crawl low under smoke
Have an outside meeting place
Practice your plan twice a year
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly

Send final submissions to shelby.rowland@richmondhill.ca by Friday, October 21, 2022.

Prizes

First Prize: Winning student's poster on the side of an RHFES truck, a visit from RHFES to the winning student's class plus swag bags for all students in the class
Second Prize: Visit from RHFES, pizza lunch for winning student's class, swag bags for all students in the class, plus a banner of the winning poster for the school
Third Prize: Visit from RHFES, swag bags for all students in the class, plus a banner of the winning poster for the school

Digital Backpack

Check out some of the fun and exciting activities and colouring sheets our friends from National Fire Protection Association have created for Fire Prevention Week!

Home Escape Planning Grid

Family Action Plan

Sparky's Colouring Sheet

Adventures with Sparky

Hidden Picture Activity

Smoke Alarm Safety Calendar

Sparky's Hero Club Certificate

If you live in an apartment or building that has many levels, it’s super important to have a fire escape plan so you know how to get out quickly if a fire starts. Check out this Fire Safety in the City family kit to learn more about being prepared, and planning your escape.

For more activities from NFPA, please visit their Fire Prevention Week page or Sparky The Fire Dog's website.

Home Escape Planning

Want to know more about how to plan your escape? Visit our Home Escape Planning page.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Have questions about smoke and/or smoke alarms? Check out our smoke alarm and carbon monoxide pages.

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Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week is October 9 - 15, 2022

The History of Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week Activities

How to participate:

Prizes

Digital Backpack

Home Escape Planning

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

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