Illinois Community Risk Reduction

In 1961, Congress created National Poison Prevention Week to increase knowledge about how to prevent and stop poisoning accidents. Communities and poison centers across the country host events every year to share the message.

The goal of National Poison Prevention Week is to teach about the risks of poisonings at any age and increase everyone’s involvement in poison prevention. It takes place every year in the third week of March.

Portable heaters or space heaters are used by many during the winter months to help keep warm from the persistent frigid temperatures. While portable space heaters do help to generate heat, OSFM wants residents to be aware of the increase risk of fire caused by these heaters. 

In 2024, Illinois fire departments responded to 9,860 carbon monoxide (CO) related calls across the state. According to the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association, emergency rooms across the U.S. see more than 100,000 visits each year due to CO exposure. Tragically, over 14,000 people are hospitalized annually, and approximately 1,200 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning, a number that continues to rise. Each year, hundreds of people across Illinois are treated in emergency rooms due to carbon monoxide (CO) exposure, and over the past decade, an average of 20 people per year have died from accidental CO poisoning.

CRR Week (January 19-25, 2026) is a grassroots effort led by an informal group of fire safety professionals from across the nation. The goal of the week is to promote awareness of Community Risk Reduction (CRR) within the fire service by encouraging agencies to conduct CRR programs and demonstrate the value and impact of these efforts.

Illinois CRR is excited to participate in CRR Week. We encourage fire departments, organizations, and partners across the state to get involved. Click the link below to learn more about CRR Week and access resources to help you plan and implement CRR activities in your community.