National Park Service Structural Fire Program kicks off Fire Prevention Week 2023

NPS staff at the signing of the Fire Prevention Week Proclamation at NIFC in 2023. Left to right: Chris Wilcox (Chief, Div. of Fire and Aviation Mgmt), Roberta Gorman (Structural Fire Prevention Program Manager), Mike Schell (Chief of Training), and Shane Crutcher (NPS Structural Fire Branch Chief).

Candice Stevenson, NPS

Each October since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association has observed Fire Prevention Week to provide focused public education on the importance of fire and life safety. The October timeframe commemorates the Great Chicago Fire which began on Oct. 8, 1871 and killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres.

In 2023, Fire Prevention Week is observed from October 8-14, and the National Park Service (NPS) Structural Fire Program will promote the theme “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.™”

Christopher Wilcox, Chief of the NPS Division of Fire and Aviation Management, and Shane Crutcher, Branch Chief of Structural Fire for the NPS, begin Fire Prevention Week by signing the Fire Prevention Proclamation September 18, at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho.

“The National Park Service has a lot of opportunities to improve its fire safety as it relates to home fires. We have many overnight accommodations as well as park employees who live within our geographic boundaries” said NPS Structural Fire Branch Chief Shane Crutcher.” Chief Crutcher highlighted statistics and safety measures related to cooking safety as detailed in the proclamation below, and emphasized the dedication NPS structural fire coordinators and firefighters have towards reducing the occurrence of structure fires and fire injuries through prevention and protection education.

Duration:

1 minute, 38 seconds

NPS Director Chuck Sams discusses Fire Prevention Week 2023

Chris Wilcox (left) and Shane Crutcher (right) sign the 2023 NPS Division of Fire and Aviation Fire Prevention Week Proclamation.

Candice Stevenson, NPS

National Park Service Division of Fire and Aviation
Fire Prevention Week 2023 Proclamation

WHEREAS, the National Park Service is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting our national parks; and

WHEREAS, fire is a serious public safety concern both locally and nationally, and homes are the locations where people are at greatest risk from fire; and

WHEREAS, home fires caused more than 2,800 civilian deaths in the United States in 2021, according to the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), and fire departments in the United States responded to more than 338,000 home fires; and

WHEREAS, cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States and fire departments responded to more than 166,400 annually between 2016 and 2020; and

WHEREAS, two of every five home fires start in the kitchen with 31% of these fires resulting from unattended cooking; and

WHEREAS, more than half of reported non-fatal home cooking injuries occurred when victims tried to fight the fire themselves; and

WHEREAS, children under five face a higher risk of non-fire burns associated with cooking than being burned in a cooking fire; and

WHEREAS, National Park Service employees and visitors should turn pot handles toward the back of the stove; always keep a lid nearby when cooking; keep a three-foot kid-free zone around the stove, oven and other things that could get hot; watch what they heat; and set a timer to remind them that they are cooking; and

WHEREAS, National Park Service employees and visitors who have planned and practiced a home escape plan are more prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire; and

WHEREAS, working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fire almost in half; and

WHEREAS, National Park Service Park Structural Fire Coordinators and Structural Firefighters are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection education; and

WHEREAS, National Park Service employees and visitors are responsive to public education measures and are able to take personal steps to increase their safety from fire, especially in their homes; and

WHEREAS, the 2023 Fire Prevention WeekTM theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire preventionTM,” effectively serves to remind us to stay alert and use caution when cooking to reduce the risk of kitchen fires.

THEREFORE, I Christopher Wilcox, Chief of the National Park Service Fire and Aviation Management Division and Shane Crutcher, Branch Chief, Structural Fire do hereby proclaim October 8-14, 2023 as Fire Prevention Week throughout the National Park Service, and we urge all employees and visitors to check their kitchens and cooking spaces for fire hazards and use safe cooking practices and to also support the many public safety activities and efforts of the National Park Service's fire and emergency services.