[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23460-23461]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 699--SUPPORTING THE WORK OF FIREFIGHTERS TO EDUCATE 
AND PROTECT THE NATION'S COMMUNITIES, AND THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF FIRE 
PREVENTION WEEK, OCTOBER 5-11, 2008, AS DESIGNATED BY THE NATIONAL FIRE 
                         PROTECTION ASSOCIATION

  Mr. DODD (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Biden, Mr. McCain, Mr. Leahy, 
and Mr. Obama) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 699

       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;
       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;

[[Page 23461]]

       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 $6,800,000,000 in direct damage 
     in the United States;
       Whereas home fires cause 80 percent of civilian fire 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;
       Whereas home fires in 2005 resulted in 500 civilian deaths 
     and 1,100 injuries, with an estimated $862,000,000 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 
     through 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 we have honored firefighters for educating the 
     American public since President 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 Senate--
       (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, 
     October 5-11, 2008, as designated by the National Fire 
     Protection Association.

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