Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal

The 2026 Illinois Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Conference is expanding to two days this year, offering even more opportunities to learn, collaborate, and strengthen community risk reduction efforts across Illinois.

Hosted by the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) in Champaign, this year's conference will showcase Illinois-based expertise, successful programs, and resources designed to help departments and communities enhance or jumpstart their CRR initiatives.

 Join Camp I Am Me and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal for the third annual Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm Installation Statewide Blitz. Join hundreds of departments from across the state to educate residents on the dangers of fire in the home and to ensure there are working smoke alarms properly installed within your community – and what better time than during National Fire Prevention Month.

Marta Keane from the Battery Network talks about how fire departments can get involved in battery recycling in their communties. 

If you did not recertify at a certification level before your certification period expired, you may reapply by completing a NEW Task Book with all required JPR’s completed after your certification expiration date.  If the NEW Task Book is completed and submitted in accordance with all requirements, your recertification period will begin on the date the completed Task Book is received.  For example, if your certification prior expired on December 31, 2025 but you submit a completed NEW Task Book on August 31, 2026, your recertification would be effective  August 31, 2026 and remain current until August 31, 2030.  If you have any questions, you may contact Joe Holomy, Southern Supervisor at Joseph.Holomy@illinois.gov or Scott Olinski, Northern Supervisor, at Scott.Olinski@illinois.gov

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) announced the recipients of the 2026 Small Equipment Grant Program. A total of $6 million was awarded to 264 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment.

OSFM’s Fire Prevention Division has compiled important information on lithium-ion batteries into a comprehensive fact sheet. The guide covers how the technology works, the dangers of thermal runaway, current challenges and trends, recent developments, and key firefighting considerations when responding to these incidents.

As lithium-ion batteries become more common in everyday devices, understanding the risks and safety measures is more important than ever. Learn more by clicking the link below.