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   October is Fire Prevention Month—a time to remind everyone that fire safety begins long before an emergency occurs. While firefighters are always prepared to respond when a fire is reported, prevention and preparedness are some of the most effective tools we have to protect lives, homes, businesses, and our communities.

   The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is proud to work alongside the dedicated men and women of the local fire departments serving communities throughout Cass County. This partnership is an important part of keeping our residents safe and ensuring that when an emergency happens, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, dispatchers, and other public safety partners are ready to work together.

Strong Partnerships Save Lives

   When a fire or other emergency occurs, there is no time to figure out who needs to be involved. Effective emergency response depends on agencies knowing one another, communicating effectively, and understanding their respective roles.

   The Sheriff’s Office and our local fire departments regularly work together during emergencies, training opportunities, public safety events, traffic control, investigations, and other situations where a coordinated response is essential.

Our 911 system plays an important role in that coordination. In Minnesota, 911 emergency response services include police, firefighting, and emergency medical services.

   Whether deputies are helping secure an emergency scene, assisting with traffic control, helping evacuate an area, providing information to responding firefighters, or assisting with an investigation after a fire, cooperation between public safety agencies helps make a difficult situation safer for everyone.

Fire Prevention 

Starts at Home

   Fire Prevention Month is also a good opportunity for every household to take a few minutes to review basic fire safety.

   Make sure your smoke alarms work. Test smoke alarms regularly and make sure there is an alarm on every level of your home and in appropriate areas near sleeping rooms.

   Have a home escape plan. Know at least two ways out of every sleeping area when possible, establish an outside meeting place, and make sure everyone in the household understands the plan.

   Keep exits clear. Hallways, doors, stairways, and other escape routes should remain accessible and free of clutter.

   Practice your plan. A fire can create smoke, darkness, confusion, and panic. Practicing an escape plan helps household members know what to do before an emergency occurs.

   Use heating equipment safely. As cooler weather arrives, make sure furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, space heaters, and other heating equipment are used and maintained properly. Keep anything that can burn a safe distance from heating equipment.

   Charge Into Fire Safety. This year’s National Fire Protection Association Fire Prevention Week theme is “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging is a Superpower™.” The 2026 campaign focuses on safely charging devices powered by lithium-ion batteries.

   Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power phones, tablets, laptops, power tools, e-bikes, scooters, and many other devices.

Residents can help reduce the risk of battery-related fires by following several simple precautions:

   • Use the charger designed for the device.

   • Follow the manufacturer’s charging instructions.

   • Charge devices on a hard, flat surface rather than on a bed, couch, or other soft surface.

   • Avoid using batteries or chargers that are damaged or show signs of overheating.

   • Unplug devices when they are fully charged when the manufacturer’s instructions recommend doing so.

   • Purchase products that have been tested and listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

   • Keep charging devices where they can be monitored rather than hidden or covered.

   The goal isn’t to be afraid of new technology—it is to understand how to use it safely.

A Community Effort

   Fire prevention isn’t only the responsibility of firefighters. It is something we can all contribute to. Take a few minutes this October to test your smoke alarms, review your family’s escape plan, check your heating equipment, practice safe charging habits, and talk with children and other family members about what to do if a fire occurs.

   The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the continued partnership of the fire departments and emergency responders serving our communities. Together, we will continue working to prevent emergencies when possible, respond effectively when they occur, and help keep the residents and visitors of Cass County safe. This October, let’s all do our part. Fire safety starts with prevention—and prevention starts with each of us.

   If you have specific questions that you would like answered in this column or in person, please feel free

to contact me anytime using one of the following methods:

   Email: [email protected]

   Phone: 218-547-1424 | 1-800-450-2677

   By Mail/In Person: Cass County Sheriff’s Office

303 Minnesota Ave W

PO Box 1119

Walker MN 56484

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