Education and Outreach
Education & Outreach
Learning and understanding fire prevention skills is beneficial to everyone. Jacksonville Fire and Emergency Services works to educate students and all citizens about fire safety at home and at work.
Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week originated as commemorative week to honor those that had been killed in the Great Fire of Chicago during October 8 to 10, 1871; approximately 300 people were killed and around 3.3 square miles of Chicago were destroyed by fire, leaving more than 100,000 homeless - an estimated $200 million in damages.
On the 40th anniversary of the fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (now known as the International Fire Marshals Association) decided that the anniversary should not be one that is celebrated with festivities but through ensuring that a tragic event like that would happen again - by communication and ensuring that people have the information and knowledge of the importance of fire prevention.
President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation in 1920. In 1925 President Calvin Coolidge presented the first Presidential proclamation of Fire Prevention Week; however, the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) has been an official sponsor of it since it began.
Every year in October, typically during the week (Sunday to Saturday) in which October 9 falls is when Fire Prevention Week is observed. There has been a different theme each year since 1927, in 2017 the theme was "Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!" The theme for 2018 will be announced June 1.
During Fire Prevention Week, Jacksonville Fire and Emergency Prevention Division takes the opportunity to deliver age appropriate fire prevention material and share fire safety messages to the City's elementary and private schools. The firefighters enjoy sharing their knowledge with the children (and their caregivers) during school visits or station tours.
Jacksonville Fire and Emergency Services provide education on how to use a fire extinguisher, provide a variety of presentation on Fire Life Safety Education, smoke detector installs, and home inspections (an Assistant Fire Marshal will walk through your home and provide guidance on fire life Safety) just to name a few.
Fore more information, please call the prevention Division at 910-455-8080.