BY KENNETH O. BURRIS, JR.
Fire prevention is not new. In fact, it is referred to in the Bible (Ex.: 22-6) in the context of personal responsibility for accidental fires. However, December 7, 1946, is the date of demarcation for a renewed national interest in supporting the education of all Americans in fire prevention. On that day, a fire in the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, de-stroyed the structure and killed 119 people.
When I first became a firefighter, my battalion chief and company officer both had been firefighters at the Winecoff fire. In 1996, I had the privilege of accompanying them to the dedication ceremonies for the 50th anniversary of that fire. I will never forget the conversations I had with actual firefighters and survivors of the Winecoff fire. They have reinforced my commitment to fire safety.
The fire was such a shocking experience for the entire nation. It prompted the then governing President, Harry S. Truman, to say: “It is the clear responsibility of every state and local official and every citizen to aggressively support this national war against the growing menace of fire.” In January 1947, he called for a national conference on fire prevention. “The President’s Conference on Fire Prevention” took place May 6-8, 1947. Even though the recommendations resulting from it were to be enacted by states and their constituencies, it became clear that this was the first concerted effort to empower the Federal Government to address the nation’s fire problem.
A FEDERAL FOCUS ON FIRE PREVENTION
It was not until the Fire Research and Safety Act of 1968, however, which authorized the creation of the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, that the Federal Government began to seriously embrace the idea of creating a federal fire focus. Today’s United States Fire Administration (USFA) is a direct result of that commission. From the very beginning, fire prevention and public education have ranked high on the USFA’s list of priorities.
Although fires and deaths from fires have decreased in the past 20 years, the United States still has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world. The fire service’s emphasis on response capabilities, improved communications, and technical skills in firefighting has brought the fire service to a very sophisticated operational level. However, fire prevention activities often take a back seat, ultimately producing unacceptable consequences.
Although great strides have been made in fire prevention technology, approximately 4,000 people in the United States still die as a result of fire each year. With fire causing approximately 25,000 injuries and $9 billion a year in property damage, it easily outpaces all other hazards in the toll taken on our nation’s human and natural resources. Obviously, a great deal of work still remains to be done in educating the American public.
- Courses. FEMA, through the USFA’s National Fire Academy (NFA), maintains a curriculum to increase the skill levels among the nation’s fire department public fire educators. Currently, that curriculum includes three two-week resident courses and one seven-day course. Sadly, these are among the least popular courses offered by the NFA, which serves to prove that the fire service still has a long way to go in embracing fire prevention education as an equal partner with response in the fire protection equation.
- Preschool and elementary school programs. The USFA currently works with many partners to “spread the word” about fire prevention and fire safety. This year, the USFA has joined with the National Fire Protection Association as one of the sponsors of Fire Prevention Week and “The Great Escape” message, planning and practicing a home fire escape plan. The message will be delivered to elementary school children throughout the country by the Weekly Reader and Lifetime Learning Systems. We currently have a preschool program, the Sesame Street Fire Safety Station, aimed at preschool care providers. This program was developed with Children’s Television Workshop using “Sesame Street” characters to deliver the fire safety message.
- Smoke detectors. The USFA also has a long-standing relationship with the National Safe Kids Coalition and with Indian Health Services to provide smoke detectors to tribal residences.
- Quick Response Program. Each time a fire fatality is reported in the media, the USFA Quick Response Program responds, within hours, by sending materials to the media in the area in which the fatality occurred. If the cause of the fire is known at that time, a fire fact sheet with relevant information is sent; if not, a more general fire fact sheet is sent. The media use these fire fact sheets to provide fire safety and prevention messages to the public at a time when it is focused on fire and its effects.
USFA APPROACHES
All of the publications associated with these programs are available, at no cost, through the USFA Web site,
AMERICA BURNING RECOMMISSIONED REPORT
October 2000 will see the release of the America Burning Recommissioned Report, which will highlight the failure to fulfill our responsibilities in the fire prevention arena. I believe that a proactive approach to fire prevention and public fire education will serve as the foundation for our reaching the goal of decreasing losses from fire. The USFA is on a mission to partner with the nation’s fire service to lead a fire prevention awareness revival within our country-the purpose of which is to instill in every American the value of fire safety and prevention.
KENNETH O. BURRIS, JR., is the chief operating officer of the U.S. Fire Administration. He retired as fire chief from the City of Marietta, Georgia. He has an MPA from Kennesaw State University and a bachelor’s degree in fire protection and safety engineering technology from the University of Cincinnati. He formerly served as treasurer of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
