The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)’s “Prevent Fire. Save Lives.” campaign was initiated to combat the high incidence of death and injury from fire among seniors. According to the USFA, more than 1,200 Americans over the age of 65 die and 3,000 are injured each year as a result of residential fires.
The “Campaign Kit for Partners,” one of the campaign’s tools, was designed to help organizations call public attention to these high risk factors for seniors and to educate seniors about fire safety. The kit includes a sample pitch letter, a press release, and an opinion-editorial article. These documents are in template form to facilitate the addition of organization-specific information. The kit also contains three fact sheets that illustrate the fire safety challenges faced by seniors, adults with disabilities, and the deaf or hard of hearing. A Fire Safety Checklist for Older Americans brochure, produced by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), is also included. Print public service announcements (PSAs) for newspapers and magazines are enclosed for distribution to local newspapers and community groups.
Fire departments can use these materials to create news releases, fact sheets, and radio PSA scripts, or they may be copied and used in their original form. The USFA encourages organizations to duplicate and distribute as many copies of these materials as desired.
The “Prevent Fire. Save Lives. Campaign Kit for Partners” may be ordered by completing the order form at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/pfsl-kit.htm. The kit is available within the United States only. Sample materials are available online at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/pfsl-samples.htm.
