September NFPA Public Education Updates

                                      

Fall is a busy, and exciting time of year for fire and life safety educators across North America. As Fire Prevention Week (FPW) gets closer, I’d like to ask our network representatives to consider purchasing official FPW materials. Created by NFPA subject matter experts, these trusted resources not only support your community outreach but also help fund NFPA public education initiatives, like the Network Program, EMAC, and Steps to Safety.

We are so excited about Fire Prevention Week 2025 and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things happening in your states. Please share the following updates with your email lists. Thanks for all you do.

Fire Prevention Week  

 

FPW Supporters: A big “Thank You” to the organizations and business supporting FPW 2025. Check out the organizations that are helping to make this year’s campaign a success.

 

Battery safety materials for kids: These new resources help children (kindergarten – 8) understand both the power and the potential dangers of lithium-ion batteries and teach them how they can play an active role in staying safe when using or charging everyday devices.

  • K-2 lesson plan, Safe or Not Safe flashcards and activity sheet
  • 3-5 video, lesson plan, What’s Inside a Battery and Thermal Runaway Explained printables.
  • 6-8 video, lesson plan, What’s Inside a Battery and Thermal Runaway Explained printables.

 

FPW Domninos Pizza program: Watch how our annual program works and why it’s so impactful for fire departments and their communities.

 

Website Updates and Seasonal Topics 

 

  • New: My Home Fire Escape Plan! This digital storybook on sparky.org, helps children prepare for home fire escape plans and fire drills at home. The story helps kids visually process what will happen during a home fire drill, understand the loud sound of the smoke alarm, and feel more prepared.
  • Campus Fire Safety Month: NFPA and Center for Campus Fire Safety Ring the Alarm on Fire Risks During Campus Fire Safety Month in September. This year’s campaign highlights safe cooking practices and lithium-ion battery safety. For free resources and safety tips, visit nfpa.org/campusfiresafety and the CCFS website. NEW student-created PSA style video shorts for your college and university communities.
  • Falls Prevention Awareness Week/ September 22–26, 2025: Join the nationwide observance to raise awareness in your communities on preventing falls, reducing the risk of falls, and helping older adults live without the fear of falling. Visit The National Council on Aging and the Steps to Safety program for resources.
  • National Preparedness Month/September: The theme for 2025 focuses on getting back to the essentials of preparedness with four key actions to take to prepare for any disaster. Visit Ready.gov for a campaign toolkit and NFPA for more information on emergency preparedness.

 

NFPA in the News

 

NFPA Journal: Lorraine Caril talks about this year’s Fire Prevention Week focus on lithium-ion batteries in the August issue of NFPA Journal. “As I began to write this column, I looked for news stories covering battery-related fires. There was no shortage of stories that had occurred within hours or days of my search.” Read more.

Reverse Renovations: What if there were no safety standards? NFPA is teaming up with popular home renovation expert and design personality, Jonathan Scott for “Reverse Renovations,” an entertaining take on a serious issue: without safety codes and standards, our homes, schools, and communities would be at risk. Learn More 

Professional Development Opportunities and Conferences

NFPA Conference & Expo® – Call for Proposals is Open! Submission deadline: September 17, 2025 Event: June 22–24, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Call for Proposal Information

CRR Kitchen Table: Wednesday, September 24, 2 pm ET, Laura Smith from the United Way talks about her role as a Community Resource Navigator in Eudora, Kansas. Email CRR@nfpa.org to be added to the invitation list.

 Safe Kids Worldwide Childhood Injury Prevention Convention (PrevCon), October 15 – 18, 2025, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland https://prevcon.org/

 

The 2025 Campus Fire & Life Safety Forum, November 11 - 13, 2025, The Wyndham Hotel, Orlando, Florida  https://www.myccfs.org/ccfs-forum 

 

 

Stay connected with NFPA

 

Fire Prevention Week: www.fpw.org
Sparky:  https://sparky.org/
Sparky Schoolhouse: https://sparkyschoolhouse.org/

Steps to Safety: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/older-adults/steps-to-safety

NFPA Home Fire Safety:  https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SparkyTheFireDog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sparky_Fire_Dog
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nfpakids
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4636446/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nfpadotorg/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Updated Statewide PIO contact list and training information

  Just a quick note to share the latest contact list and training information.     1) 2025 Arizona First Responder PIO Roundtable.  DPS is proud to announce the second annual Arizona First Responder PIO Roundtable on January 23, 2025 from 8:00 - 4:00 at 2222 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix. PIOs and supervisors of PIOs from law enforcement agencies (from all levels - local, county, state, and federal), military, fire departments, and prosecutor offices.  This training will feature a morning session from the same speaker as last year, Steve Gregory, and an afternoon revolving around case studies and the lessons learned from those experiences as well as group conversation about what PIOs are currently seeing, changes PIOs have had to make recently, and trends PIOs are seeing right now.  Lunch will be included and space is limited.   To register  for this free event, please email AZDPS Public Information Supervisor, Sgt. Eric Andrews, at  ea...
Read more

February 2024 Edition of the Risk Reduction Review

  The February 2024 Edition of the Risk Reduction Review is now available. I have included the link to the newsletter below along with a message describing what is included in this edition.  In the newsletter there is a link to the ICC Region I Radio Podcast. In this episode I sat down with FDNY Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, diving deep into the critical issues surrounding fire safety, lithium-ion battery technology, and the rise of micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. In this discussion, Commissioner Kavanagh shares her journey to leading the nation's largest fire department, revealing a commitment to public service and safety. This episode sheds light on the unique challenges and strategies the FDNY employs to combat the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, especially in the context of New York City's bustling urban environment. Learn about the regulatory measures in place, including the ban on non-UL certified devices and the push for new lice...
Read more

Statewide PIO Training Update

 Statewide PIO Training Update 1) PIO training.  There is a free series of Radiation Messaging and Outreach virtual workshops in the next couple of months through the National Nuclear Security Administration. Each of the 6 sessions are 2 hours. Check this  link  for information about the sessions and how to register.   2) PIO training part 2.  Due to significant process and procedure updates, many of the training courses offered through DEMA (my agency) have been postponed. If you are enrolled in one of these courses, you will receive an email with additional details. When PIO courses get rescheduled, I will share those details.   3) PIO Contact list.   Attached is the updated statewide PIO contact list.  The list is divided into multiple tabs representing jurisdictional levels (city, county, federal, state and tribes) and specialties (law enforcement, fire, schools, utilities, etc).    The PIO list is a great resource because...
Read more