The Orland Fire Protection District offers many resources for children to learn about fire safety. Stop by this page to learn more about fire safety!

The History of

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres at a cost of $168 million. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871.

Another fire on October 8, 1871, but less remembered, in the town of Pestigo, Wisconsin was a conflagration that caused the most fire deaths in history. When it was over, 1,875 square miles of forest (twice the area of Rhode Island), 12 towns and estimates of 1,200 to 2,500 lives were consumed.

On the 40th anniversary in 1911, The Fire Marshals Association of North America (now the International Fire Marshals Association) decided to use the date to promote fire prevention activities.

President Woodrow Wilson issued the first Fire Prevention Day proclamation in 1920.

In 1992, on recommendation of a member of NFPA and unanimous vote of the membership at the association's annual meeting that year, the fire safety observance was extended to cover the entire week that includes the October 9 anniversary date. President Warren Harding was the first to officially proclaim National Fire Prevention Week.

NFPA continues to be the international sponsor of Fire Prevention Week, which is always the Sunday-through-Saturday period during which the October 9 anniversary date falls.

This is a FIRE ENGINE. An engine is also called a pumper because it pumps water. It carries water and hose to put out fires. You see them most of the time going to help people. You may see them during Fire Prevention Week when the firefighters visit many schools and community fire-safety programs. Fire engines are called to car accidents because the gasoline in the car's tank may leak and catch on fire. The engine is about 30 feet long,



This is a FIRE TRUCK. It  has a very long 100 foot ladder on top. Firefighters use the ladder to get to the roof of a building. Ladder trucks are much longer than pumpers. A ladder truck can be 40 to 50 feet long. It also carries ground ladders. Firefighters use ladders to rescue people and climb to the roof to cut holes so the smoke comes out of the building.



This is an AMBULANCE. It is staffed by two paramedics with advanced life-support equipment. Paramedics start emergency care at the scene  then transport the patient to the hospital.

ALL ORLAND FIRE APPARATUS AND AMBULANCES HAVE PARAMEDICS AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT.