[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1485 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1485

Supporting the work of firefighters to educate and protect the Nation's 
     communities, and the goals and ideals of Fire Prevention Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 23, 2008

Mrs. Emerson (for herself, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Andrews, and Mr. King of New 
  York) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the work of firefighters to educate and protect the Nation's 
     communities, and the goals and ideals of Fire Prevention Week.

Whereas firefighters have maintained their dedication to the health and safety 
        of the American public since the first American fire departments were 
        organized in the colonial era;
Whereas more than 1,140,000 firefighters protect the United States through their 
        heroic service;
Whereas approximately 1,600,000 fires are reported annually in the United 
        States;
Whereas 102 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty in 2007;
Whereas fire departments responded to nearly 400,000 home fires in 2006;
Whereas, in 2006, there were an estimated 396,000 reported home structure fires 
        resulting in 2,580 civilian deaths and 12,500 civilian injuries and $6.8 
        billion in direct damage in the United States;
Whereas home fires caused 80 percent of civilian deaths and 76 percent of 
        injuries;
Whereas heating equipment and smoking are the leading causes of civilian home 
        fire deaths;
Whereas children under 5 and older adults face the highest risk of home fire 
        death, but young adults face a higher risk of home fire injury;
Whereas electrical distribution and lighting equipment were involved in an 
        estimated 20,900 reported home fires in 2005, resulting in 500 civilian 
        deaths and 1,100 injuries, with an estimated $862 million in direct 
        property damage per year;
Whereas working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home structure 
        fires in half;
Whereas 65 percent of reported home fire deaths in 2000-2004 resulted from fires 
        in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms;
Whereas Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety 
        observance on record;
Whereas President Warren G. Harding declared the first Fire Prevention Week in 
        1922;
Whereas the National Fire Protection Association has designated the week of 
        October 5-11, 2008 as Fire Prevention Week; and
Whereas educating Americans on methods to prevent home fires continues to be a 
        priority for all firefighters: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the work of firefighters to educate and 
        protect the Nation's communities; and
            (2) supports the goals and ideals of Fire Prevention Week, 
        as designated by the National Fire Protection Association.
                                 <all>