Once a year, for one week only, the aim of firefighters is slightly altered from the routine to helping the public think about preventing fires.

Fire Prevention Week is next week, Oct. 8-14. This is something many of us may ask: What's the point? It won't happen to me.

If you had lived in Chicago in 1871 around October 9, you would certainly understand why this week takes place.

The Great Chicago Fire in October 1871 was used to galvanize fire prevention education.

The tragic fire killed more than 250 people. It left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres and it's an important event to remind everyone for the need to prevent or reduce fire incidents.

Firefighters urge everyone to participate in this week. The main goal is to raise awareness and the theme is kitchen safety.

A few ideas to consider in the kitchen:

 Always double-check that flammable objects are clearly in a safe distance from pilot lights.

 Wear tight clothing, Tie up your hair, or wear a hair net.

 Have working smoke detectors, which is now law, on each floor of the house.

 Keep lighters and matches in a safe location, away from children.

In case a house fire does occur, your family should have two escape routes from the house that every person in the household is aware of. This way, even if the improbable does happen, everyone can get out safely, even at the late hours of the night.