[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 137 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE FOR NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to more 
than 25,000 Minnesota fire fighters in their dedicated efforts to 
reduce the dangers of fire and the impact it has upon our society. Fire 
fighters play an integral role in the communities of Minnesota each 
day, but their dedication will be highlighted October 4-10, as we 
recognize National Fire Prevention Week.
  Fire Prevention Week is the result of efforts by the Fire Marshals 
Association of North America, under the nonprofit organization, the 
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The remembrance of the 
Great Chicago Fire of October 9, 1871 sparked the NFPA into action to 
increase public awareness of fire safety. It was not until 49 years 
later that President Woodrow Wilson issued an official proclamation 
declaring October 9 as National Fire Prevention Day. In 1922, President 
Warren Harding signed a proclamation pronouncing the Sunday--Saturday 
period in which October 9 falls a national observance.
  Today, the goal of National Fire Prevention Week is to bring an 
awareness to the public to take an active role in fire prevention. 
Minnesota's dollar loss to fire last year totaled more than $141 
million. Experts tell us a commitment to prevent fires before they 
occur is the only way to stop the significant loss of life and property 
from fire. For more than 70 years the NFPA has developed a theme 
motivating the public to actively participate in public education and 
fire prevention efforts. The theme for 1998 is ``Fire Drills: The Great 
Escape.''
  Minnesota is working in conjunction with the NFPA and fire 
departments throughout the United States and Canada to implement the 
first-ever North American fire drill--``The Great Escape'' on October 
7. The Great Escape theme hopes to encourage citizens throughout North 
America to become actively involved in fire safety, specifically home 
escape planning and practice. Home fire escape planning and practice 
ensures that everyone in the household will know how to use what is 
often a small window of opportunity effectively and get out alive.
  The 794 fire departments in Minnesota have been preparing for Fire 
Prevention Week by educating the public with guidelines and a map grid 
to help them design an escape plan. This awareness ``Toolbox'' has been 
distributed to schools and can be found at your local fire department. 
Their hope is to motivate people to think about fire safety in a 
positive, proactive way, and to start practicing their home escape 
plans regularly, at least twice a year.
  School programs to teach children fire safety have always been an 
integral part of fire prevention. Minnesota will debut a Juvenile 
Firesetter Intervention Program this month. The program will provide 
training to identify, educate, bring to justice, and offer avenues for 
referral and restitution to the juvenile firesetters in Minnesota's 
communities. This will be supported through regional task forces across 
the state. In addition to these activities, the Minnesota State Fire 
Marshal Division, in conjunction with Tandy Corporation (Radio Shack), 
has developed a ``Free Smoke Detector Program.'' To aid in the 
detection of fires, 5,000 smoke detectors have been donated for 
installation in homes of at-risk individuals.
  Mr. President, our fire departments have shown the highest level of 
dedication and service to protecting our homes and places of work from 
fire. I truly appreciate their unabated commitment to the safety of our 
communities and am honored today to pay tribute to the men and women of 
fire prevention.

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