The annual public awareness campaign been observed during early October for decades, thanks to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). But how did the annual event get started, and why is it celebrated in October?
According to the NFPA website, "Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.
"Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land."
And seventy years ago, this was the public service ad that appeared in the Journal on October 5, 1954 for the annual observance.
It's a nice, effective ad.
What caught my attention is how the fireman is pointing to the reader (like Uncle Sam) and asking for help. It's the same basic gimmick I used to win the Lorain City Schools Fire Prevention Week poster contest (for my age group) in 1972. (I wrote about it back here.)
As usual it's interesting seeing who the ad sponsors were, 70 years ago. But it's all insurance companies, and sadly, I don't recognize a single one that's still around.
Anyway, it's a good time to think about smoke alarms. That's the theme of Fire Prevention Week 2024: Smoke Alarms – make them work for you.
Here's the official 2024 NFPA video. Hey, good old Sparky the Fire Dog is in it!
Seeing as how this is Fire Prevention Week 2023, I would be remiss if I didn't post this vintage ad. The almost full-page ad ran in the Lorain Journal back on October 5, 1953.
I like the simple ad layout and dramatic angle of the illustration. It's very effective.
But where's Sparky the Fire Dog? You'd think he would have at least made a canine cameo in the ad, since he was already on the job, having been introduced in 1952.
Of course, the ad exists because of its sponsors – and that means insurance companies. There are some well-known Lorain names in there but I'm not sure how many of them are still around. Somers Agency is one.
Anyway, 2023 Fire Prevention Week runs from Sunday, October 8 – Saturday, October 14th. Click here to visit the official National Fire Protection Association website. Our old pal Sparky the Fire Dog is there too.
Fire Prevention Week has been traditionally observed each year during the week of October 9th (in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which started on October 8th, 1871).
In Lorain County, for many years there was an annual poster contest for school children sponsored by the Ford Motor Company. As I mentioned back on this post about the 1971 contest, I was one of the winners of the 1972 competition.
And here's the (yellowing) photo that ran in the Journal back on November 9, 1972 about the twelfth annual contest.
As the caption notes, we all received a $50 savings bond. I believe we were also given a tour of the Ford Plant as well, and a trophy which had a fireman on the top of it.
The Chronicle-Telegram's coverage (it ran a photo of the winners as well) noted that more than 400 posters were submitted by school children from Lorain, Amherst and Vermilion school systems.
The competition was my introduction to the concept of art direction. Masson Junior High's art teacher was Chuck DeBracy, and he was the one who suggested to me the winning layout and theme of my poster, that of Uncle Sam wearing a fireman's hat and uniform, with the theme I WANT YOU TO PREVENT FIRES (or something like that). I remember having trouble drawing the pointing finger. I can't believe I didn't save the poster.
What I'm trying to remember is: what did I do with that $50 savings bond?
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Sorry folks, I was a mile from my condo on my way to work this morning when I realized I hadn't posted this! Sorry about that, Chief!
Did you know that it's currently Fire Prevention Week? This year the annual week dedicated to raising fire safety awareness is from Sunday, October 9 to Saturday, October 15.
Not only that, it's the 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week. Note the special logo above, featuring our old pal Sparky the Fire Dog (who has been the subject of several posts on this blog).
(Click here to visit the National Fire Protection Association website to learn more about the organization's history, and more importantly, some fire safety tips. And of course, Sparky will be there too.)
Anyway, sixty years ago, the Journal featured the half-page ad below for Fire Prevention Week, sponsored by many local insurance companies. There's no appearance by Sparky in this dramatic and highly effective ad.
Unlike many vintage ads featuring sponsors, several of the companies are still around, (including my insurance company, Janasko Insurance Agency).
Take some time to think about fire safety this week, and every week.
Did you know that October 3-9, 2021 is Fire Prevention Week?
The week is almost over, so it’s about time that I posted this. It’s the full-page Fire Prevention Week ad that ran in the Lorain Journal on October 3, 1971 – fifty years ago this month.
You can tell it’s from the 1970s, because of the fairly dramatic, stylized graphic. No Sparky the Fire Dog in this ad (unfortunately).
Is Fire Prevention Week still officially acknowledged in the newspapers? It’s only a once-a-year event, but a pretty important one at that – so I hope it is.
As usual, it’s interesting to see who the ad sponsors are. It looks a few of them are still around, such as Somers Agency, Janasko Insurance and the successors to the banks listed.
But forget about picking up a burger at Sandy’s Drive-in, or stopping for a snort at the “New” Eddie’s Bar.
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One of the features of Fire Prevention Week was an annual poster contest for school children sponsored by the Ford Motor Company.
Here’s an ad announcing an art show of the posters at Midway Mall. It ran in the Journal on October 5, 1971.
If I remember correctly, the winners received a savings bond and a tour of the Lorain plant. (I should remember, because I was one of the winners when I was in eighth grade in 1972. But more about that next year!)
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Since Sparky the Fire Dog was not to be seen in the 1971 Journal ad above, we’ll include the fire-prevention pooch in this post by reaching back to the time of his origin.
Here’s a great advertisement courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association archives. It’s from when Sparky was first introduced, circa 1952. He’s paired with fellow fire-prevention mascot Smokey Bear. (Hey, why is Smokey wearing a long-sleeved shirt, instead of being bear, I mean, bare chested?)
The ad notes that “Sparky talks – He’s animated – He’s great.”
What is that all about? From what I can see, the ad is referring to the Sparky suit shown in the ad, which when worn by firemen teaching children about fire prevention, would allow Sparky to ‘come to life.’
Here’s a vintage newspaper article from the Petersburg Progress-Index of October 1, 1958 showing the same Sparky suit.
Anyway, for more fire prevention information, visit the National Fire Prevention Association website, as well as Sparky’s own doggone website.
October 4-10, 2020 is Fire Prevention Week™ - so it’s not too late to post this almost full-page Journal ad commemorating the same event 50 years ago. It’s always a good idea to remind everyone to be careful.
There’s not much to say about the 1970 ad. Not even a cameo by Sparky the Fire Dog!
As usual, the fun is checking to see which businesses and organizations are still around, although you can usually count them on one hand. American Crucible is one major business listed that’s long gone.
Fast-food-wise, only Arby’s is still around, since Sandy’s and Burger Chef turned off their burger grills years ago. In 1970, Arby’s had just opened its Griswold Road location (since closed).
There are a lot of insurance companies listed in the ad, but the only one I recognize as still being in business is the one that I use: Janasko. The company was still in the Broadway Building in 1970 and wouldn’t move to their present home at 562 Broadway until 1975.
Other than that, I only see theaters that closed, and banks that changed their name or were taken over by others.
Anyway, in the Sandusky Register yesterday, I noticed that Sparky the Fire Dog had paid a visit to the Erie County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, where local first responders representing Sandusky and Huron, as well as Perkins and Margaretta Townships, filmed some cooking fire prevention videos.
Sparky as he looked when launched as a fire safety mascot in 1952
On Friday I featured a 1950s cartoon dog on this blog. Well, here’s another one of Man’s Best Friends in cartoon form from that same era.
This is Fire Prevention Week, so it’s a good time to shine the spotlight on Sparky the Fire Dog, the longtime fire prevention mascot of the National Fire Protection Association. The cartoon Dalmatian wearing a firefighter’s hat and outfit been teaching kids about fire safety since 1952.
Here’s some of the publicity from Sparky’s launch as the symbol of home fire prevention. This ran in the Journal Times on April 16, 1952.
And here’s some early newspaper advertising art. This appeared in the News on October 4, 1952.
This article from the Casper Star Tribune of December 24, 1954 explains how kids could join Sparky’s Fire Department and send away for an official badge, membership card and manual. Note how Sparky’s design had evolved.
By 1958, Sparky was a familiar face in the newspaper during Fire Prevention Week. He also made personal appearances through the use of costumes which were made available to fire departments across the country.
Ad from the Allentown Messenger, Jan. 2, 1958
Ad from the Allentown Messenger, May 1, 1958
Article from the Progress Index, Oct. 1, 1958
This Sparky costume (below) is fairly terrifying – more like Sparky the Fire Possum. The photo ran in the Los Angeles Times during Fire Prevention Week on October 7, 1958.
Here's yet another Sparky costume. This one was used by the Montgomery Fire District in Wilmington, North Carolina; the photo appeared in the Star-News on October 11, 1959.
My hometown of Lorain, Ohio had a Sparky costume (or mask) that was similar to the one being used in the Montgomery Fire District. The photo below appeared in the Lorain Journal on September 30, 1959 in preparation for Fire Prevention Week 1959.
The article accompanying the photo noted, “The Lorain Fire Dept. is training its preventive eye on schools, businesses, industries and the homes.
“For the first time, Lorain’s school children will be competing only against others of their own ages for fire prevention prizes. The Lorain Fire Department Fire Prevention Committee, headed this year by Fireman Stanley M. Yourkvitch, felt that the old system of splitting children into only four age groups gave oldest youngsters in each group the advantage.
“Again, Fireman “Sparky,” familiar to the children for years, will travel from school to school to demonstrate safety rules and the workings of a fire truck.
“To provide variety, the featured fire truck on this year’s school will be a pumper. The children last year were shown a hook and ladder truck.
“As to the contests, first, second and third graders will compete in coloring 8-by-10 fire prevention posters.
“Children in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades will try their hands at free-hand drawings of any pictures they choose from a fire prevention comic book provided by the firemen."
It seems like the late 1950s were a busy time for Sparky in newspaper advertising. Here’s a newspaper ad with great illustrations from October 1959. It’s a shame they don’t run ads like this anymore; I think they are still needed.
From the Port Angeles Evening News, October 3, 1959
I don’t know if today’s kids are still taught about fire safety by Sparky. Maybe they're too sophisticated to buy into the fantasy of an anthropomorphic Dalmation telling them to prevent fires.
Sparky’s still around (here’s the link to his website) but he's a little less intense and has been redesigned to look less threatening. He’s also been given a new backstory (in which he is depicted as a cute puppy) in an apparent effort to make him more appealing to little kids. Ugh.
But if you remember Sparky from your school days, you’ll enjoy this short vintage film.
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I also featured Sparky and Fire Prevention Week 1959 on this blog back here.
It's Fire Prevention Week, and I almost forgot I had this October 3, 1959 ad that ran in the Lorain Journal. It's one of those full-page ads that spotlighted a lot of local businesses (in this case a lot of insurance companies). Give it a click so you can read it.
If you look closely, it also features our old pal Sparky the Fire Dog in a small cameo. Remember those free comic books we used to get in elementary school in the 1960s featuring the fire-fighting Dalmatian?
He even starred in his own Elf book. Check out the kid with the Jughead-style hat!
There were even Sparky toys.
I guess it's only fitting to have Sparky make an appearance here on the blog, since fellow fire prevention mascot Smokey Bear appeared in a post back here.
Anyway, Sparky's fire prevention message is timeless, and I'm glad that he's still around in 2012. But I guess he's adopted Smokey's realistic, in-your-face style, though! (See recent ad below).
