Office of the State Fire Marshal promotes Arson Awareness Week
This year's theme: 'Reducing Residential
Arson'
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[May
07, 2013]
SPRINGFIELD -- The Office of the
State Fire Marshal joins the national efforts to engage residents in
local efforts to reduce arson incidents and educate the community on
how to play a key role in creating a safer home environment. The
theme for this year's arson awareness week is "Reducing Residential
Arson." The campaign runs nationwide during the week of May 5-11.
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The goal is to provide communities with the necessary tools and
resources to combat arson in their neighborhoods. Another goal is to
encourage residents, schools, churches and community organizations
to participate in different activities that would help spread the
word on residential arson prevention.
"Our communities and residents need to be safe. We believe that
being proactive and well-educated can make a big difference," said
State Fire Marshal Larry Matkaitis. "Our agency is committed to go
the extra mile to educate our communities statewide on how to
prevent residential arson."
Last year in Illinois, OSFM's Arson Division investigated 720
residential fires, and 255 of them were determined as incendiary.
The most recent statistics from the National Fire Protection
Association show that in 2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an
estimated 28,900 home fires that were classified as intentionally
set. Those fires caused the death of 310 civilians, 980 injuries and
an estimated $544 million in property damage.
Arson is considered a felony crime, and individuals convicted of
such acts face serious consequences including jail time depending on
the severity of the acts.
During Arson Awareness Week, residents are encouraged to team up
with local fire departments and law enforcement agencies in an
effort to educate themselves on how to prevent intentionally set
fires.
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Below are various ways to play a
proactive role in the community:
-
Coordinate area
cleanups.
-
Identify abandoned
properties that could be a potential target for arson acts.
-
Report garbage or flammable materials
that are around properties and could be set on fire.
Parents are also encouraged to remind kids not to play with
matches or lighters, and to practice an escape plan in case of an
emergency. OSFM also reminds the public that having working smoke
alarms in their homes does make a difference between life and death.
For more information and accessibility to resources for the 2013
Arson Awareness Week campaign, visit
www.sfm.illinois.gov or
www.usfa.fema.gov/aaw.
[Text from
Office of the State Fire
Marshal file
received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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