Proclaiming the Week of October 3rd 2010 as "National Fire Prevention Week."

The City Council of Philadelphia designates the Week of October 3rd 2010 as “National Fire Prevention Week” in Philadelphia and encourages that residents, children and parents, teachers and firefighters 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

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During 2009, the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) responded to 268,996 emergency incidents: of these incidents, 221,133 were emergency medical incidents, and 47,863 were for fire and other 911 emergency public safety service requests; and

WHEREAS, The Department recorded a twenty-three percent (23%) reduction in fire fatalities, the lowest loss of life by fire in Philadelphia history; and

WHEREAS, Seventy percent of all fire fatalities in 2009 occurred in structures with no smoke alarms, or dead or missing batteries; and

WHEREAS, The Department experienced a (1.1%) increase in the total number of emergency incidents, while also recording a (1.9 %) increase in total emergency medical incidents; and

WHEREAS, As in previous years, the number of responses to fire and other 911 emergency public safety service requests continue to decline and in 2009 this decline stands at a little more than two percent (2.5%); 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 age five, 70 percent are under the age of 10.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Week of October 3rd 2010 be designated as “National Fire Prevention Week” in Philadelphia and encourages that residents, children and parents, teachers and firefighters 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.

FURTHER RESOLVED,

That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, as further evidencing the sincere admiration and gratitude of this legislative body.

End