At its Oct. 8 regular meeting, the Riverbank City Council and Mayor Richard D. O’Brien recognized the members of the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Department Station 26 here with a proclamation helping to designate October as Fire Prevention Month.

O’Brien noted that the goal of Fire Prevention Month is to raise fire safety awareness and help protect homes and families.

He said that the National Fire Protection Association designates a theme, with this year’s being “Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work For You.” The focus will be on the importance of having working smoke alarms. Without working smoke alarms, you might not know to get out of a fire.

Staff members reported that Fire Prevention marks the anniversary of the Great Chicago fire of Oct. 8 and 9, 1871. It notes that the blaze raged for several days and claimed more than 250 lives, while destroying more than 17,400 structures. Later major fire tragedies like it prompted Chicago firefighters to request a much-needed reform by focusing public attention on fire prevention and safety.

Fire Prevention Month was started as Fire Prevention Day in 1911, and President Calvin Coolidge declared Fire Protection Week in 1925.