It's Fire Prevention Week. How Old is Your Smoke Alarm?

(Originally published on Oct. 10, 2016) Woodrow Wilson declared the very first Fire Prevention Day on Oct. 9, 1920, and in 1925 Calvin Coolidge expanded the observation to a week. It happens in October to commemorate the devastating Chicago fire in October of 1871.

Gov. Rick Snyder has proclaimed that the state of Michigan will observe the week, with the rest of the nation and Canada, this week. This year's theme is "Don't Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years." Home fire safety starts with having working smoke alarms that drastically reduce the risk of dying in home fires. Smoke alarms must be replaced at a minimum of every 10 years.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three of every five home fire deaths in the United States result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Last year, home fires in Michigan killed more than 104 citizens, and according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, fire departments throughout the state responded to nearly 13,583 home fires in 2015, according to WXYX-TV.

One of the best ways to keep your family safe is to be prepared for an emergency.

» For more, including fire safety tips, go to WXYZ-TV.

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