The Boynton Beach (FL) Fire Rescue Department has been presented with the 2006 Life Safety Achievement Award by the Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI). For the past 14 years, the award has recognized the local fire prevention activities that contributed to reducing the number of lives lost in residential fires.
Boynton Fire Rescue qualified for this award because it recorded zero fire deaths in structures last year. Although residential fires in the U.S. account for only 20% of all fires, they result in 80% of all fire deaths. A total of 675 departments in the U.S. received the 2006 Life Safety Achievement Award. The awards were announced by Roy L. Marshall, Director of the RFSI.
“Experience tell us that fire prevention activity and public education can significantly reduce life and property loss from residential fires,” Marshall said, “Prevention and education are very cost effective compared to the traditional approach of relying on fire suppression. The Life Safety Achievement Award recognizes fire departments for their fire prevention efforts and encourages them to continually improve those efforts.”
The RFSI is a public interest group whose mission is to reduce residential fire deaths and injuries. The RFSI advocates the use of residential fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and teaching people fire-safe behavior. The RFSI assists fire departments with implementing residential programs on a local basis. The RFSI’s membership includes
the U.S. Fire Administration, the National Association of State Fire Marshals and private industry/associations with an interest in and commitment to residential fire safety.
For more information, contact Roy L. Marshall, Director of the Residential Fire Safety Institute @ (712) 829-2734 or visit their Web site: www.firesafehome.org.
