Six Days, Six Fires, 19 Children and 9 Adults Killed

In the six days between February 6 and 11, there were six fires that killed 19 children and 9 adults across the nation, which are the latest in what seems to be an increase in fires that have claimed the lives of three or more people per incident. In the past 30 days, 65 people have been killed, with over half of them being children. Compounding these tragedies is that so many of these fires are probably preventable with fire safety practices that we all know.

For many years, fire departments have been doing fire prevention activities, so the question arises as to why do these fires keep happening? What are we doing wrong?? What do we need to do differently to reach people?

This podcast includes experts who discuss the importance of prevention, detection and suppression and some time-tested and new and creative ideas that can be used in reaching the different demographics that make up communities across the country. The panel includes Heather Caldwell (Kiddie), Judy Comoletti (National Fire Protection Asccociation), Ben May (Disney), Ozzie Mirkhah (Las Vegas Fire & Rescue); Peg Paul (Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition); Alan Shuman (National Association of State Fire Marshals) and is hosted by Ed Comeau (Campus Firewatch)

Organization Links:

Campus Firewatch: www.campus-firewatch.com

Congressional Fire Services Institute: http://www.cfsi.org

Fire.gov: http://www.fire.gov

Firesafety.gov: http://www.firesafety.gov/

Firefyi.org: www.firefyi.org/

Firesafe Cigarette Coalition: www.firesafecigarettes.org

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition: www.homefiresprinkler.org

Liberty Mutual/Epcot “Where’s the Fire” Exhibit: http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=9&id=48060

Kidde: www.kidde.com

National Association of State Fire Marshals: www.firemarshals.org

National Fire Protection Association: www.nfpa.org

National Fire Sprinkler Association: www.nfsa.org

NFPA Fact Sheets: www.nfpa.org/factsheets

Sparky the Fire Dog: http://www.sparky.org/

U.S. Fire Adminstration: www.usfa.dhs.gov/

USFA Media Fact Sheets: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/media/quick_response/

Related article links:

Discuss this show on the Firehouse Forums

Links to article by Firehouse.com Contributing Editor Ben May

Links to article by Firehouse.com Contributing Editor Ozzie Mirkhah

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Three Children Die in Detroit Apartment Fire

Ten Dead in Kentucky House Blaze

Four Children Killed in Tennessee Fire

Philadelphia Fire-prevention unit works to halt the next deadly blaze

Society of Fire Protection Engineers Press Release

International Fire Marshals Association Newsletter (pdf)