HFD Announces Fire Prevention Week Activities and Oct. Alarm Canvass

Published on October 01, 2026

City of Helena Fire Truck with its equipment doors open.

HELENA, Mont. — The Helena Fire Department will recognize Fire Prevention Week, October 4–10, with fire-safety education for students and a community campaign to check smoke alarms in homes.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Charge into Fire Safety™: Safe Charging Is a Superpower,” highlights safe charging practices and the fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries found in phones, laptops, power tools, toys, e-bikes and other rechargeable devices. Over the course of the week, the Helena Fire Department will host more than 400 elementary students from the Helena School District for a tour and education session at Station #1.

New this year to the prevention week program, Helena firefighters will also visit neighborhoods on the first two Saturdays in October to voluntarily check and test smoke alarms, replace batteries and non-functioning alarms, install alarms where needed, and provide basic fire and life-safety information.

“Our job is more than responding when something goes wrong,” said Helena Fire Chief Corey Parker. “We have a responsibility to understand the risks in our community and work to reduce those risks before an emergency occurs.”

The canvassing campaign is a voluntary community assistance program, not a code-enforcement inspection. Firefighters will only enter homes with the resident’s permission.

Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity when firefighters visit and to make sure:

Smoke alarms are tested regularly.
Everyone knows two ways out of each room when possible.
Household members know what to do and where to go if an alarm sounds.

In the spirit of the Fire Prevention Week theme, firefighters will also provide information on safe charging practices including using manufacturer-approved chargers, charging devices on hard surfaces away from beds and couches, unplugging devices when fully charged, and stopping use of batteries that become unusually hot, swell, smoke or develop an unusual odor.

Information gathered during the canvassing campaign will help the department identify community risk trends and guide future prevention efforts.

“Prevention is a partnership,” Parker said. “Every alarm we test, every battery we replace, and every resident we educate is an opportunity to reduce risk.”

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and safe charging, visit https://www.fpw.org.

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