RRFD to visit schools for Fire Prevention Month

RIO RANCHO — October isn’t just about trick-or-treating and the first hints of fall; it’s also Fire Prevention Month, and Rio Rancho Fire Rescue is spreading the word. RRFR will be visiting local schools all month to speak with students about the importance of fire safety.

A creation of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Fire Prevention Month (and Fire Prevention Week, which takes place from Oct. 6-12) is held annual in October to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, which raged for two days, from Oct. 8-10, 1871, killing more than 300 people, leveling 17,000 structures and destroying over three square miles of Chicago.

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first proclamation declaring Oct. 9 as National Fire Prevention Day. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge expanded the day to a week and later a full month.

Each year, Rio Rancho Fire Rescue goes out to schools to educate students (and teachers) about fire safety with a particular focus on the theme of the year. This year’s theme is “Smoke Alarms: Make them work for you!”

According to the NFPA, nearly three of every five home fire deaths result from fires in homes without working smoke detectors and “a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds in America.”

Schedule

Date - School - Time*

*Kinder time, 1st grade time, 2nd grade time

Oct. 1 - Rio Rancho ES - (K) 1:20 p.m.-2:50 p.m., (1st) 11:35 a.m.-1:05 p.m., (2nd) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Oct. 3 - Colinas del Norte - (K) 8:15 a.m.-9:45 a.m., (1st) 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., (2nd) 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Oct. 4 - Explore Academy - (K) 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., (1st) 8:15 a.m.-9:15 a.m., (2nd) 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Oct. 7 - Maggie Cordova - (K) 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., (1st) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., (2nd) 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

Oct. 8 - Joe Harris - (K) 12:40 p.m.-2:10 p.m., (1st) 2:25 p.m.-3:50 p.m., (2nd) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Oct. 10 - Sabe - (K) 9 a.m.-10 a.m., (1st) 10 a.m.-11 a.m., (2nd) noon-1 p.m.

Oct. 14 - Enchanted Hills - (K) 1:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m., (1st) 11:40 a.m.-1:10 p.m., (2nd) 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Oct. 16 - Stapleton - (K) 9:50 a.m.-11:20 a.m., (1st) 8:10 a.m.-9:40 a.m., (2nd) noon-1:30 p.m.

Oct. 17 - Sandia Vista - (K) 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m., (1st) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., (2nd) noon-1:30 p.m.

Oct. 18 - Vista Grande - (K) 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m., (1st) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., (2nd) 12:10 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

Oct. 21 - Cielo Azul - (K) 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m., (1st) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., (2nd) 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m.

Oct. 23 - Puesta del Sol - (K) 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m., (1st) 9:40 a.m.-11:10 a.m., (2nd) 11:20 a.m.-12:50 p.m.

Oct. 24 - Martin Luther King - (K) 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., (1st) 12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m., (2nd) 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

**Shining Star is also scheduled for later in the month, but times have not yet been confirmed.