[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19659]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 8, 2002

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Fire 
Prevention Week, and I urge all Americans to take steps to protect 
their families and loved-ones by installing and checking smoke 
detectors, practicing home escape plans, and identifying home hazards.
  In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire 
Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922, National Fire Prevention 
Week has been observed during the beginning of October. No doubt, this 
act has roots that draw from the tragic fire that raged through Chicago 
in early October 1871, killing more than 250 people and leaving more 
than 100,000 others homeless.
  The message of National Fire Prevention Week--to install and check 
smoke detectors, practice home escape plans, and identify home 
hazards--hits particularly close to home. During a warm July night 
earlier this year, a faulty electric wire breathed life into a fire 
that quickly engulfed a bedroom in my home. My young granddaughter was 
sleeping in this room at the time, when a smoke detector roused her 
from her sleep. Fortunately, the smoke detector also aroused my wife, 
who was able to evacuate my home and call the fire department before 
anyone was hurt.
  That smoke detector saved the lives of my family. And yet, thousands 
of Americans die from fires each year. In fact, every 18 seconds a fire 
department responds to a fire somewhere in this country.
  It only takes a few moments to install a smoke detector or ensure 
that one is working properly. Moreover, practicing an escape plan and 
checking around your home for hidden fire hazards can not only prevent 
considerable heartache for you and your family, it can reduce the 
number of fires our brave firefighters have to respond to each year.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to recognize National Fire 
Prevention Week. And I also ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing 
their local police, fire, and rescue squads for their unceasing 
commitment to keeping our families and loved-ones safe.

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