This week is Fire Prevention Week in Grand Forks.
The national event commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. That fire, which lasted for two days, killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 people homeless and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings. Each year, the week that includes Oct. 9, the date the fire started, is designated as Fire Prevention Week.
This year's fire prevention campaign is "Stay Fire Smart! Don't Get Burned." In 2007, 84 percent of all fire deaths were attributed to a home fire.
Batteries Plus and Happy Joe's Pizza are partnering with the Grand Forks Fire Department this year to help get the message out about the importance of working smoke detectors and home escape plans.
Leading causes of fires in the home include cooking, heating and electrical issues. Nationally in 2007, a fire department responded to a home fire every 70 seconds and someone was injured in a home fire every 39 minutes.
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U.S. fire departments responded to 399,000 home fires in 2007. These home fires killed almost 2,900 -- about eight people every day. Last year, the city of Grand Forks experienced four fire deaths and eight serious injuries attributed to home fires.
