Oct. 8 kicked off Fire Prevention Week. This week calls our attention to the dangers of fire and the importance of fire safety and awareness. This is the 101st Fire Prevention Week and President Biden marked it with a proclamation honoring the courage, heroism and service of our nation’s firefighters. 

In the proclamation President Biden also noted that we all have a duty to take meaningful steps to stop fire emergencies before they start and reduce the risk of fire in our homes, businesses, communities and the great outdoors. 

You can play your part by taking steps towards fire safety in your home and in your neighborhood. 

• Install tamper resistant smoke alarms or test and regularly change the battery in smoke alarms where you live. 
• Remain diligent and watchful when cooking. Turn pot handles inward toward the stove. 
• Use electrical appliances as intended. 
• If you own or use products powered by lithium-ion batteries, only use the charger purchased with the product. Do not use aftermarket chargers not intended for the product. 
• Practice fire evacuation plans in your home and know the way out of where you work or hotels and restaurants you may visit.
• If you live in a fire prone area near forests or in areas with dry vegetation, know and practice the way out of your neighborhood in the event of wildfire. 
• Reduce the risk of wildfire spreading to your home by ensuring that brush and other vegetation are cleared from around your house. 
• As the temperatures get colder, remember to check chimneys and clean fireplaces to prepare them for use in winter. 

On Oct. 10, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), convened the U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire Prevention and Control. 

The event was held at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Key federal officials attending the summit included President Joe Biden (virtual), Homeland Security Advisor to the President Elizabeth Sherwood Randall (virtual), DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, US Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore Merrell and Deputy Assistant to the President Caitlin Durkovich.   

Discussion topics included:

• The impact of climate change on firefighting in the wildland-urban interface.
• How technology such as lithium batteries change firefighting and affects community safety. 
• The critical role of building codes and standards to fire safety, particular in urban settings. 
• The impact of fires, trauma and exposure on the physical and mental health of firefighters.
• The recruitment and retention challenges faced by career, volunteer, and combination fire departments nationwide.

For Fire Prevention Week 2023, the U.S. Fire Administration wishes you a fire-safe autumn.

Find more fire safety resources on usfa.fema.gov.