Get up close and hands on with emergency vehicles as part of Fire Prevention Week on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 10AM-2PM. Onslow County Emergency Services is holding a joint event with City of Jacksonville Public Safety and Camp Lejeune Fire and Emergency Services to promote fire safety. This free event is open to the public in the Lowe's Home Improvement store parking lot at 1255 Western Boulevard in Jacksonville.
There will be fire extinguisher demonstrations, a smoke house where children can learn what to do in the event of a fire, and hands only CPR presentations. This event is also a fun opportunity to explore emergency vehicles as part of the touch a truck display.
The theme of Fire Prevention Week 2023 is cooking safety and Onslow County Fire Marshal Jeremy Foster says you can never be too cautious when cooking. “Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths. Most cooking fires can be prevented by following a few easy to remember safety tips.”
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and keep a lid nearby in case of grease fires
• Be mindful of what you are heating and set a timer as a reminder to remove it from heat
• Create a “kid free zone” within three feet of the stove or other areas where hot food is prepared
Since 1922, the 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.
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.