Every October, Fire Prevention Week is celebrated throughout North America on the first full week in October. This year it runs from Sunday, October 4^th through Saturday, October 10^th. Fire Prevention Week is the oldest U.S. public health observance on record. For more than 100 years, Fire Prevention Week has worked to educate people about the risk of home fires and ways to minimize them.

Fire Prevention Week 2026 theme, “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower,” focuses on lithium-ion battery charging safety

Many of the devices in our daily lives—phones, tablets, laptops, tools, toys, e-bikes, and scooters, to name a few—run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which store high amounts of energy in a small space. If the batteries are damaged or charged incorrectly, they can overheat, start a fire, or even explode. Properly charging devices can significantly reduce the risk of fires and associated hazards,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. Making informed choices and practicing simple habits are critical to these efforts.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign aims to better educate the public on how to safely use, store, and recharge lithium-ion-powered devices, helping minimize risks at home and other locations.

The following are key messages that support this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme:

• Use the cord and charger that came with your device or ones approved by the manufacturer. Using the wrong charger can damage the battery and increase the risk of fire.
• Charge devices on a table, desk, or other hard, flat surface. Do not charge them on beds, couches, or under pillows. Devices and chargers produce heat during normal charging. Soft surfaces can trap heat and block airflow, which can cause the battery to overheat.
• Stop using your device if it feels very hot, starts to swell, is smoking, or has a strange smell. These are warning signs that the battery may be damaged or failing.
• Unplug your device when it is fully charged. Do not leave it plugged in longer than needed. Leaving a device plugged in too long can increase heat and stress on the battery.
• Charge larger items like e-bikes, scooters, and power tools outside and away from exits. These batteries are larger and store more energy. If they fail, fires can grow quickly and spread.
• When on a plane, keep your device where you can see it while charging. Do not charge devices in overhead compartments. Do not charge e-cigarettes or vapes on a plane. If a battery overheats or fails, it is important for the flight crew to respond quickly. 

Forecasters with NOAA’s National Weather Service are predicting a below-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic basin this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to November 30, predicts a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season, and a 55% chance of a below-normal season.

The agency is forecasting a total of 8-14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 3-6 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1-3 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA has a 70% confidence in these ranges. An average season has 14 named storms with seven hurricanes, including three major hurricanes. 

“With the most advanced forecast modeling and hurricane tracking technologies, NOAA and the National Weather Service are prepared to deliver real-time storm forecasts and warnings,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “Our experts are integrating cutting-edge tools to ensure communities in the path of storms receive the earliest, most accurate information possible.”

“NOAA’s rapid integration of advanced technology, including AI-based weather models, drones, and next-generation satellite data, will deliver actionable science to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the American people,” said NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, Ph.D. “These new capabilities, combined with the unmatched expertise of our National Weather Service forecasters, will produce the most accurate forecasts possible to protect communities in harm’s way.” Click Here for more information.

Your Woodville Volunteer Fire Department is in search of land for a fire station.  Yes, the Brotherhood of Dragon Slayers are looking for their own cave to call home and a place to house a tanker or engine. The station and apparatus housed inside would help you save on your homeowner’s insurance cost.

 Why is this important to you, and how will it save you money?

When your insurance rate is calculated a key factor is the distance of your home from the nearest fire station, housing a tanker or engine that meets ISO requirements, with five miles being the magic number.  You read that right, if you are within five miles of a fire station your insurance rates will be significantly lower. 

Currently, if your home is east of the 6600 block of Natural Bridge Road, this means your home is not within 5 miles of the current fire station, so your insurance class code is a 10. This class code raises your cost higher than those who live west of the same address. The homes that are west of 6600 Natural Bridge Road have an insurance code of 9 because the properties are located within 5 miles of the fire station. These ratings are factored into the calculation of your homeowner’s insurance premium. Aside from the distance from a fire station, part of the ISO rating comes from a fire department’s available water supply. The measuring factor for this rating is the distance (1000 feet) from your home to the nearest hydrant. A tanker or an engine with a minimum of 750 gallons of water housed in the proposed station would put a water supply closer to your home, adding another layer of protection, plus that would also positively affect your insurance rates.  

Your Woodville Volunteer Firefighters are all about our community, and we want to help you.  But, for us to help you, we need land on which to build a fire station. To help the ISO ratings and provide help with insurance rates, the station must be at or East of the 6600 block of Natural Bridge Road.

So, if you or someone you know has 1 or 2 acres of land near 6600 Natural Bridge Road and would be willing to sign a long-term lease with our department, I would like to talk to you.

Please contact me by email, (wvfd1300@yahoo.com) or call me at 850-933-4018

Richard Meuth, Fire Chief