Fire Prevention Week

National Fire Prevention Week is October 8-14, 2023

The 2023 theme is "Cooking Safety Starts with YOU. Pay Attention to Fire Prevention."

In conjunction with of Fire Prevention week, the Imperial Beach Fire-Rescue Department provides on-site visits to all second grade classrooms at local public schools. Nearly 400 students are reached each year with this important program. 

Our education program highlights the annual National Fire Protection Association theme while we provide fun hands-on engagement and fire prevention and safety tips to students in our community. 

The program also features a fire safety poster contest for each school. A winner from each school is chosen and is recognized at a City Council meeting each year. Students from the winning class receive a special ice cream party given by our firefighters. 

Fire Prevention Week culminates with our annual Open House event which is held every October at the fire station. 

History of 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. 

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.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week, the fire safety theme for this year and other fire safety topics please visit the National Fire Protection Association's website.