FEMA, NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND DISASTERS ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE FIRE SAFETY AWARENESS FOR FAMILIES
WASHINGTON - With home fires on the rise in winter months, and a new study showing that young children are at an especially high risk of getting seriously injured or dying in residential fires, today the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Commission on Children and Disasters are announcing a new public awareness campaign to help keep children and families safer from the threat of home fires.
As part of this effort, today FEMA's U.S. Fire Administration is releasing a new report on the risks fires pose to children. The report, which is based on the latest available data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, found that young children face the greatest - and a growing - risk of death or serious injury in home fires, with 52 percent of all child fire deaths in 2007 involving children under the age of four, a slight increase from the most recent study previously conducted in 2004. Click here "This latest report reveals a deeply troubling trend and should serve as a wake-up call for all of us," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "The bottom line is that one of the greatest threats our youngest kids may face during the winter months exist in their homes. It's critical that all families are aware of these risks and take the simple steps now to prevent fires due to cooking, heating or other causes at home. These deaths are preventable, and working together we can educate each other and save lives."
RIEMA Executive Director J. David Smith added “this study reinforces the need to continue and expand the availability of the STEP Program to elementary school students in RI. STEP stands for Student Tools for Emergency Planning and gives children potentially lifesaving information that helps them deal effectively with emergency situations. To learn more about STEP go to www.riema.ri.gov/step.
"During the past decade of unprecedented disasters, the needs of kids were too often left behind in disaster planning," said Mark Shriver, Chairman, National Commission on Children and Disasters. "We not only hope this partnership helps better protect children from home fires, but also puts a spotlight on the unique needs of kids when disasters strike. We're grateful that Administrator Fugate has demonstrated such strong leadership and made significant progress for protecting children in a very short time."
The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) is the state agency responsible for coordinating federal, state, and local resources to protect the public during disasters and emergencies. RIEMA helps develop plans for effective response to all hazards, trains emergency personnel, provides information to families and communities, and assists in recovery from disaster losses. You can learn more about RIEMA by visiting the RIEMA homepage at www.riema.ri.gov