I know the week has passed already but wanted to give my fellow traders some info plus some safety tips for everyone.

I started thinking about something I could give back to everyone here who has helped me and the thanks, from many, when my mom passed away recently. Since I did a presentation this morning to some kids, this came to my old, feeble brain.

Now I know my fellow fireeater, FlyShyts, will be checking on everything I write so I had to check on a few things. So my gift to you and your families is Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Prevention week for 2006 was Oct. 7 - 13. Is it the same week every year? No and let me explain why. In 1871 was the Great Chicago Fire which brought about this week. A little history lesson. The fire killed over 250 people, destroying over 17,000 structures. The fire started on Oct. 8th and continued till Oct. 9th. On the same day, a few miles away, in Northeast Wisconsin a fire started in Peshtigo and became the Peshtigo Fire. It seems the fire was never even thought of because of it's location and not a popular area such as Chicago. The Peshtigo Fire was larger in all senses of the word. It burned up 1.2 million acres, destoyed 16 towns (yes, towns) and killed over 1,150 people. In 1920 President Wilson signed the first National Fire Prevention Day Proclamation. Since 1922 Fire Prevention Week has been recognized every year. The week it lands on is the week Sunday through Saturday that Oct. 9th falls in. Interesting side bar. My previous Chief, Chief Sparks, was born on Oct. 9th.

Every year we go to schools and present out material to young children about fire safety -- don't play with matches; stop, drop and roll; check your smoke detector and replace your batteries; crawl out of your house when your house is on fire; don't go back into your house when you have left; call 9-1-1 at the neighbors home; and stay together till the fire department gets there to name a few areas of concern. Which brings us to our theme of this year. "Practice Your Escape Plan." Please adults do this with your kids. The kids will love the game and surprisingly they will remember.

My extra tips for fire safety. Everyone should check their smoke detectors once a month and replace their batteries at least once a year, twice is better. What time is best? Time change twice a year or Fire Prevention Week when your child comes home with all the goodies we give them at school. Convince your kids that matches and lighters are not for fun and they should be given to an adult when they are found. Adults should put them away, "out of sight out of mind". Be careful the amount plugs going into an outlet. Extension cords are only for temporary use. Don't have a fold in your plug wire -- it causes a break in the wire which in turn will cause a fire on the break. Don't hang your Christmas lights up with thumbtacks or staples. They cause that break or the metal actually is touching the wire in the cord which causes the short. Be very careful of candles or no candles. No candles on a Christmas tree!! Have an extinguisher in your home. What is best? An ABC extinguisher. Make sure if you do that it is serviced every year. Good places for an extinguisher are: a place in the kitchen where you don't have to go past the stove or oven on fire to get to it; the garage obviously for those auto mishaps; and I always have an extra near the front door. Actually it's in my fire/sports room under my desk. Got to protect the autos and cards.

I'm sure I have forgotten something but I hope this helps everyone have a safe, fire-free, wonderful holiday season. My goal would be not to have one fire statistic from this family.