Fire Prevention Week is October 5-11, 2008, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is offering ready-to-use public service announcements to print publications and Web sites to promote fire safety to the public, according to an agency press release. PSAs formatted for print are available for download at www.nfpa.org/printPSAs; a link to Web formats is also included at www.nfpa.org/displaycontent.asp?categoryID=1199.

The theme of this year’s campaign is Prevent Home Fires! NFPA, an international nonprofit fire safety organization, has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week since 1922, the release stated.

Fire Prevention Week video PSAs, featuring cartoon character Dan Doofus, will be coming soon to www.dandoofus.org.

The Dan Doofus “Fired Up for Safety” series was created by NFPA specifically for this year’s Fire Prevention Week Campaign. There are three two-minute animated videos starring the very funny blue character who has to learn the hard way how to prevent home fires the correct way. Topics include: home fire safety checklist, home fire escape planning and proper use of smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers.

According to the National Archives and Records Administration’s Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record, the release said. The U.S. President has signed a proclamation declaring a national observance during that week every year since 1925.