Senate passes resolution recognizing Fire Prevention Week

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, has announced passage of a Senate resolution that she authored recognizing the theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week – “Stay Fire Smart, Don’t Get Burned.” Senator Collins’ legislation was cosponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman, Chris Dodd, Tom Carper and John McCain.     “Firefighters are on the first line of our emergency responders,” said Senator Collins. “Everyday, they put themselves in harm’s way, confronting all manner of emergencies, from acts of terrorism to natural disasters, from house fires to medical emergencies. Educating all Americans about ways to prevent fires in the first place will help further the safety of our firefighting men and women. All of us can help our local fire departments by making prevention a top priority.”
    Sen. Collins said that America’s firefighters provide a wide array of services, including emergency medical services, special rescue response, hazardous material and terrorism response, and public safety education.
    The statistics from 2008 tell the story. Last year, 103 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty and some 1,145,000 fires were reported nationwide. Further, the nation’s fire departments responded to emergency calls nearly every second and dispatched personnel to fire emergencies every 22 seconds.
    Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. Firefighters were first honored for their role in educating the American public in 1922, when President Warren G. Harding declared the first Fire Prevention Week. The first American fire departments were organized in the colonial era.