Title
Proclaiming the Week of October 7th 2007 as "National Fire Prevention Week."
Body
The City Council of Philadelphia designates the Week of October 7th 2007 as "National Fire Prevention Week" in Philadelphia and encourages that residents, children and parents, and teachers gain the necessary knowledge: "KNOWING WHAT TO DO" through attending or teaching programs that can and will save your life or the life of someone near and dear, because once a fire starts there's no time to develop a plan.
WHEREAS, The history of National Fire Prevention Week has it roots in the Great Chicago Fire, which occurred on October 8, 1871, and this tragic conflagration killed some 300 people, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,000 structures; and
WHEREAS, During 2006, the Philadelphia Fire Department responded to 267,867 emergency incidents; of these incidents, 214,404 were emergency medical incidents, and 53,463 were for fire and other 911 emergency public safety service requests; and
WHEREAS, There were fifty-two fire deaths in the City of Philadelphia and forty deaths occurred in twenty-seven properties that did not have smoke alarms, or had alarms with dead or missing batteries; and
WHEREAS, Careless smoking was the number one cause of fire deaths in Philadelphia last year resulting in seventeen fire deaths and electrical wiring was the cause of ten deaths: four, the result of permanent electrical wiring, and six, the result of non-permanent wiring... namely extension cords; and
WHEREAS, Electrical appliances accounted for seven deaths, children with matches were the cause of five deaths, incendiary/arson fires were responsible for the loss of four lives, three deaths were the result of portable heaters, and open flames were the cause of two fire deaths; and
WHEREAS, Each year in the United States an estimated 2,800 children age 14 or younger are injured and 850 killed in residential fires, of these children, over 40 percent are under the ag...
Click here for full text