Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 6-12;
Open Houses Scheduled at Fire Stations 

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Since 1922, National Fire Prevention Week has been observed during the Sunday through Saturday period in which Oct. 9 falls. This year's theme "Not every hero wears a cape. PLAN AND PRACTICE YOUR ESCAPE," enforces the message that anyone can be a hero when it comes to fire safety. Being prepared by making sure you have working smoke alarms in the home, having a predesignated meeting place and knowing two ways out of every room are ways that help protect the ones you care about. 

Seconds can mean the difference between residents of our community escaping safely from a fire or-having their lives end in tragedy. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends planning your escape route, testing your smoke alarms, choosing an outside meeting place, practicing home fire drills and making these a regular reminder. Information on these and other fire prevention topics is available at www.firepreventionweek.org. 

The Dubuque Fire Department has partnered with American Red Cross of the Tri-States to give Dubuque residents the opportunity to sign up to receive free smoke alarms and installation by Dubuque firefighters. Red Cross volunteers will install alarms for non-residents. To request this service, call 563-589-4195 (Dubuque residents) or 563-564-4566 (non- residents), or visit www.getasmokealarm.org. 

The fire department promotes fire safety and prevention year-round through educational programs at schools, businesses, senior centers, and more. In observance of National Fire Prevention Week, the Dubuque Fire Department will hold open houses on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 1-3 p.m. at each of the six Dubuque fire stations:

During the open houses, Sparky the Fire Dog will be at Fire Headquarters. Children will have the chance to put out a simulated house fire using a fire hose at Station #4 and Station #5. At all the open houses, visit with YOUR firefighter/paramedics, tour the fire stations and check out all the different fire vehicles and equipment. 

The National Fire Protection Association established Fire Prevention Week to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people and burned more than 2,000 acres. Another devastating fire, the Peshtigo Fire, took place in northeast Wisconsin during that same timeframe and burned 16 towns, killed 1,152 people, and scorched 1.2 million acres. Both the Chicago and Peshtigo fires changed the way that firefighters and public officials thought about fire safety, and thus it was decided to observe the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire in a way that would inform the public of the importance of fire prevention. 

For more information about fire prevention, visit the National Fire Protection Association web site at www.nfpa.org or contact the City of Dubuque Fire Department at www.cityofdubuque.org/fire or 563-589-4160. 

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