Join Fire Prevention Week at the COC Today

Here’s a factoid to start your day: Fire Prevention Week has been observed nationally since President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the week in 1925. (The observance always includes Oct. 9, the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.)

Today, our friends at the Fire Authority carry on the tradition. From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., they’ll be outside the COC Commons with a fire truck, firefighter safety gear and information from the Burn Institute to keep you and your family safe. 

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is Prevent Kitchen Fires. Granted, it’s a little less stirring than 1927’s theme of Why this Mad Sacrifice to Fire?  But it’s definitely an important topic, with two of every five house fires originating in the kitchen, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.

This time of year, a lot of us in San Diego are thinking about the potential for wildfires—and we should. But kitchen fires are a perennial risk, so stop by Monday if you’re at the COC.

If you can’t make it, there’s lots of great information at www.fpw.org, including fun and educational materials for children.