“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.”

Key Stats

From Emergency Management / Disasters:

Data Tool: My Community Explorer (showing USA Current Wildfires, from IRWN & NIFC)

Data Tool: OnTheMap for Emergency Management, find Wildfires in map below

Events / Wildfires

2023 Canada Wildfires and United States Air Quality

2023 Hawaii Wildfires

Note: Click on the image below for the full OnTheMap for Emergency Management page showing all events as of 10/05/2023, especially Wildfires. Use the “Legend & Map” controls to unselect all event types except Wildfires. You may hide the controls and zoom into the map. Source: Workforce Origin-Destination Data [LODES 2020], 2020 Census Data, 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, and other government agencies. More information can be found in Data Sources.

More Stats

Source: 2022 American Community Survey (ACS), 1-year estimates

Table B24124, Detailed Occupation for the Full-Time, Year-Round Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over

Note: The table below is cropped at the bottom, and the three rows related to fire are highlighted in yellow.

Source: 2022 Census of Governments, Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (ASPEP)

For more information, see www.census.gov/programs-surveys/apes/technical-documentation.html.

State Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2022 (find Fire Protection)

Local Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2022 (find Fire Protection)

State and Local Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2022 (find Fire Protection)

Source: 2021 County Business Patterns (CBP)

Table CB2100CBP, All Sectors: County Business Patterns, including ZIP Code Business Patterns, by Legal Form of Organization and Employment Size Class for U.S., States, and Selected Geographies: 2021, showing NAICS 561621, Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths)

Note: This industry (NAICS 561621) comprises establishments engaged in (1) selling security systems, such as burglar and fire alarms and locking devices, along with installation, repair or monitoring services or (2) remote monitoring of electronic security alarm systems. For a list of NAICS keyword search results for “Fire,” visit this webpage: 2022 NAICS Definition, Search results for: Fire (112 records). You may need to enter “Fire” in the 2022 NAICS search box and press “Go.”

Source: 2017 Annual Business Survey (ABS) Program