The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), with State Fire Marshal Tom Hughes, are recognizing October as Fire Prevention Month in Michigan and called on residents to take action to reduce the risk of fire in their homes.
As part of Fire Prevention Month, the National Fire Prevention Association’s (NFPA) Fire Prevention Week will take place October 4-10, 2026. This year’s theme, “Charge into Fire Safety™: Safe Charging Is a Superpower,” focuses on lithium-ion batteries, which power many everyday devices and can overheat and cause a fire if damaged or charged improperly.
“With proper education and preparedness, many fires can be prevented,” said Marlon I. Brown, Director of LARA. “Fire Prevention Month gives us an opportunity to work alongside Michigan’s fire service and community partners to ensure that residents have the information and resources they need to reduce risk and keep their families safe.”
Each year, approximately 113 Michigan residents lose their lives in fires. Changes in home construction, furnishings, and the materials found in our homes over the last several decades mean fires can burn hotter, spread faster, and produce more toxic smoke. In modern fires, residents may only have three minutes or less to escape a home fire.
“We know more about fire today than we did 30 or 40 years ago, and our prevention and education have to change with what we know,” said State Fire Marshal Tom Hughes. “But we need Michiganders to do their part. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Close your bedroom door when you sleep. Have an escape plan and practice it with your family. Look at how and where you are charging your devices. The safety of your family depends on the actions you take today, before a fire ever starts.”
Take Action in Your Home
- Test your alarms. Have working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide alarms should also be placed on every level of your home.
- Have an escape plan. Know two ways out, practice your plan with your family, and close bedroom doors when sleeping.
- Charge safely. Use original or manufacturer-approved chargers for all devices and charge on a hard, flat surface away from exits.
- Watch for warning signs. Stop using batteries that become unusually hot, swell, leak, smoke, smell unusual, or make popping or hissing sounds.
- Get out and stay out. If there is a fire: get outside, stay outside, and call 911.
Through MI Prevention, Michigan’s fire service and community partners work throughout the year to reduce fire risks through home safety visits, alarm installations, public education, and other community risk reduction efforts.
