Campus Firewatch

 U.S. Senate Designates September as Campus Fire Safety Month

 BELCHERTOWN, Mass., September 16, 2012 –  The United States Senate has unanimously passed Senate Resolution 549 designating September 2012 as Campus Fire Safety Month.  The bipartisan resolution was introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and joins with 27 governors and mayors that, to date, have also signed resolutions.   As the United States Fire Administration says, “Fire is Everyone’s Fight” and that everyone has a role in making a fire-safe society!

 National Campus Fire Safety Month began in 2005 when the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives and a companion bill was passed in the U.S. Senate.  Eleven governors also issued proclamations at that time and in the eight years since then, a total of 227 proclamations have been signed in response to a letter sent each year, co-signed by parents who have lost children in campus-related fires. (A complete list of proclamations, to date, is available at Campus Firewatch.)

 “During National Campus Fire Safety Month, schools across the country hold events to raise awareness about how to prevent and respond to fires on campus,” said Senator Lautenberg in a prepared statement.  “Increasing fire safety awareness on our college and university campuses will help avoid tragedies like the deadly Seton Hall University fire.  We need to take every step possible to keep our students safe so they can focus on their education.”

 “At this time of year, millions of students are returning to college and university campuses across the country,” said Senator Collins.  “Designating September as National Campus Fire Safety Month is a timely reminder of the danger that fire can pose and the life-saving importance of fire-prevention awareness and education.”

 Last academic year, 9 students were killed in campus-related fires, which reversed the downward trend that had been occurring since 2007-2008 when 18 people were killed.  Since Campus Firewatch started tracking campus-related fires in 2000, 155 people have died in campus-related fires across the nation with 86% of them occurring in off-campus housing.

 To help schools in teaching students about fire safety, Campus Firewatch has prepared a list of free, online resources.

 Campus Firewatch is a social enterprise focusing on campus fire safety that was started in 2000. For more information, visit our website at www.campus-firewatch.com.

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Courtesy:  The Daily Dispatch