The Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire . On the 40th anniversary ( 1911 ) of the Great Chicago Fire , the Fire Marshals Association of North America ( FMANA ) ; the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association ( NFPA ) , sponsored the first National Fire Prevention Day , deciding to observe the anniversary as a way to keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention . In May 1919 , when the NFPA held its 23rd annual meeting in Ottawa at the invitation of the Dominion Fire Prevention Association ( DFPA ) , the NFPA and DFPA both passed resolutions urging governments in the United States and Canada to support the campaign for a common Fire Prevention Day . This was expanded to Fire Prevention Week in 1922 . The non-profit NFPA , which has officially sponsored Fire Prevention Week since its inception , selects the annual theme for Fire Prevention Week
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
Fire Prevention Week