2022 marks the 100th year for fire prevention week in the United States. 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. Every year members of Pinch VFD take time to visit with schools in our response area to help them better understand how to safely get out of their homes in case of fires. Children also lean about smoke alarms, match & lighter safety and electric safety. The younger a child learns fire safety the better the chance of surviving a fire in their homes. Here is a little-known fact about the dates chosen for fire prevention week. 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.