This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Fire Prevention Week Spreads Safety and Awarness

A movement born out of the Great Chicago Fire, Fire Prevention Week in Bolingbrook is about fun kids and also a very important message for everyone.

Although Fire Prevention Week is now a nationally recognized event, the week dedicated to education and safety in the midst of a fire has its roots just down the road in Chicago.

Always falling during the week of Oct. 9, Fire Prevention Week (celebrated since 1922) commemorates the Great Chicago Fire, which burned for two days in 1871 and burned more than 2,000 acres in Chicago, leaving 100,000 people homeless.

Even more staggering is the fact that the Chicago Fire was not the biggest fire on Oct. 9, 1871. That unfortunate distinction goes to Peshtigo, Wis. The forest fire, which roared at the same time of the Chicago Fire, scorched 1.2 million acres.

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Chicago was a bigger city with more newspapers and reports of their fire just reached the presses quicker, people never really knew about the other fires," Bolingbrook Fire Marshall Jim Smith said.

Despite the tragedy of those two days, the focus on prevention that was spawned by the events have probably saved countless lives.

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But there is still work to be done.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 1,349,500 fires were reported in the U.S. In 2009, with more than 3,000 civilian deaths, 82 fire fighter deaths and $12.5 billion in property damage.

In Bolingbrook, Smith said education on fire safety and prevention never stops, but Fire Prevention Week is a great way to reach young children.

The week kicks off by reviewing the year's fire prevention poster, designed by area school children. This year the theme was, "Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with." Winners of the contest receive various prizes, including a ride to school in a fire truck.

During the week, many events are held at local schools, including visits from Bolingbrook's mobile smoke house, where students can see what it's like to be in a house with a fire in it, and how to react, such as staying low and feeling doors for heat.

He said on a more expansive level, Fire Prevention Week is about education, engineering and enforcement. Education is the understanding of fire prevention, engineering is using fire safe materials and building codes, and enforcement is yearly visits around town by the fire department.

"[In Bolingbrook] we try and visit each business in the community and do a fire inspection and life safety check," said Smith.

He said because they visit every residence, they hope the message is extended to children at home.

He said things they hope kids pass on to parents are tricks like checking alarms every time they change the clocks for daylight savings time and keeping a fire extinguisher close by.

"If your house is in a total blaze, get away and find help, but a small kitchen fire, which is very common, can be stopped before it's too damaging if you have a fire extinguisher," he said.

The department also hopes kids will bring their parents out on Saturday to the nearest fire house for orange juice, cookies and a chance to see the firehouses and the equipment in them.

"Of course, every kids likes the chance to see a fire truck, but they will also be learning about fire safety," Smith said.

To find the fire station nearest to you, visit the station and equipment section of the BFD website.

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.