Harvest Days begins Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs through the same time Saturday at the 4-H Rural Life Center on Highway 903.

Fire Marshal Keith Duncan will be presenting activities on the theme of this year's campaign that working smoke alarms save lives.

Through these educational, family-oriented activities, residents can learn more about the importance of working smoke alarms and testing them monthly.

The county’s planning department and code enforcement office is joining Duncan in the campaign, the county said in a statement.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half.

Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

“In a fire, seconds count,” said Duncan. “Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.”

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, which runs October 5 through 11, includes the following smoke alarm messages:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.

• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.

• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.

To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities contact your local fire department or the Fire Marshal’s Office at 252-583-4891.

To learn more about smoke alarms and visit the NFPA’s website.