The Office of the State Fire Marshal, in partnership with local fire departments and the American Red Cross, will conduct its Fall Statewide Community Risk Reduction Weekend on October 17–18, 2026. Throughout the weekend, OSFM staff and partners will visit neighborhoods across Maryland to provide free fire prevention education, check existing smoke alarms, and install new alarms where needed.
The statewide initiative supports the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s ongoing efforts to reduce fire-related injuries and deaths by ensuring Maryland residents have working smoke alarms and understand the importance of home fire safety.
“As I prepare for my first Community Risk Reduction Weekend as State Fire Marshal, I look forward to seeing our personnel and local fire departments working together to make Maryland homes safer,” said State Fire Marshal Caroll H. Spriggs, II. “These partnerships are essential to preventing fires and saving lives.”
During the weekend, the OSFM will join local fire departments and community partners across Maryland. Teams will visit neighborhoods to check and install smoke alarms, distribute fire prevention materials, and speak directly with residents about ways to keep their homes and families safe.
The importance of these efforts was demonstrated when two families in Western Maryland escaped fires in their homes after smoke alarms previously installed through the agency’s Community Risk Reduction initiative alerted them to a fire within their home. The incidents occurred in Kitzmiller and Rawlings, where the homeowners had received free smoke alarms through partnerships with the Kitzmiller and Cresaptown fire departments. In both cases, the alarms provided an early warning, allowing the families to escape without injury.
Working smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death. The Office of the State Fire Marshal reminds Marylanders to follow these important fire safety tips:
- Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas.
- Test smoke alarms monthly and replace alarms that are 10 years old or older.
- Close Before You Doze. Closed bedroom doors can help slow the spread of smoke and fire.
- Develop and practice a home escape plan with two ways out of every room and a designated meeting place outside.
- Get Out and Stay Out. If a fire occurs, leave immediately, call 911, and never re-enter a burning building.
Residents who need smoke alarms but aren’t visited over the weekend are encouraged to contact their local fire department or request assistance through the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Get Alarmed Maryland program at https://mdsp.maryland.gov/
