Fire Prevention Month Activities in October 2020 & Year Round Fun
October is Fire Prevention Month. More specifically, Fire Prevention Week runs from Sunday October 4, 2020 to Saturday October 10, 2020. More information will be released in the fall of 2020. Your young firefighters can watch this video from the National Fire Protection Agency (“NFPA”) about the Great Chicago Fire anytime. It features author Lauren Tarshsis (of the “I survived” books) interviewing Casey Grant of the NFPA.
What a great month to indulge your future firefighter’s love of big red engines, and the Twin Cities has some opportunities for you to do that. There are actually two fire-related museums in Minnesota and several stations offers open houses during the month. Libraries are even getting into the act with story times starting in September.
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Museums Visit for Fire Prevention Month
Firefighters Hall and Museum
Located in Northeast Minneapolis near Edison High School, this small interactive museum offers kids a chance to climb on fire engines and try on firefighter gear.
Hinckley Fire Museum
Located a little over an hour north of the Twin Cities, this museum memorializes the 1894 Hinckley Fire.
Hinckley Fire Museum
2020 Fire Station Open Houses
Jan 25: Fire Department Family Fun Day | Minnetonka Fire Station 1, 14550 Minnetonka Blvd
Meet firefighters and check out their trucks. Then slide down a 20-ft inflatable slide and enjoy firehouse chili and hot cider. 10am-1pm.
Also check out our Touch-A-Truck Calendar.
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Fire Station Tours Anytime
Many Fire Stations offer tours by appointment. If you don’t see your local station on this list, you can all their non-emergency number to inquire about tours.
- Saint Paul: To schedule a free tour, choose a fire station from this list, call the Fire Captain of the station to arrange a tour time.
- Minnetonka: Tours can be scheduled through the public education specialists by calling 952.939.8331.
- Inver Grove Heights: Call the Fire Operations Supervisor at 651-450-4303 to book a 30-45 minute tour.
- St. Louis Park: Offers tours by appointment by calling 952-924-2595.
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Story Time With Firefighters
Check back closer to October for 2020 dates or look through the 2019 events for an idea of which library systems offer these events.
Fire Prevention Month Activities at Home
The good news is that, according to FEMA, children 14 and under are 50% less likely to die in a fire than the general population. The U.S. average over the last 10 years has only been 300-400 child deaths per year. I start there in hopes that I don’t add to your late-night worries. We have enough of those.
That said, according to Stanford Children’s Health, “Most child play related home fires begin in a bedroom or living room where children are left unattended. The majority of these fires are started by children playing with matches or lighters”. A little fire safety education can go a long way. We recommend starting with the list below:
- Check Off A Safety List: This is a good month to review the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Winter Safety Checklist: For Your Home as a family. Let your kids check things off as you finish the checklist.
- Screen Time Fire Safety Fun: The kids page of the National Fire Prevention Association is Sparky.org. It offers a variety of printable activities and lesson plans as well as videos games and other fun things to explore.
- Read About It: Pick up some books about firefighters and fire safety at the library.
- Activities from Pinterest: Check out these fun ideas we’ve gathered on Pinterest.
Find More Fire Prevention Month Activities on our Pinterest Board.