Woodstock Fire Department Recognized For Prevention Efforts

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The Woodstock Fire and Rescue Department was recently presented with a Life Safety Achievement Award for its fire prevention accomplishments.

The agency was recognized by the National Association of State Fire Marshals Fire Research and Education Foundation, in partnership with Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company.

The award was announced by H. Butch Browning, president of the NASFM Fire Research and Education Foundation.

“The Life Safety Achievement Award recognizes fire departments for their fire prevention programs that have been proven to save lives year after year,” said David Miller, assistant vice president of special investigations at Grinnell Mutual.

Since 1994, the Life Safety Achievement Award has recognized local fire prevention efforts that have contributed to reducing the number of lives lost in residential fires.

Woodstock Fire is one of 97 fire departments across the United States to receive the award this year for recording zero fire deaths in 2014 or reducing fire deaths by at least 10 percent during the year. Award recipients also documented active and effective fire prevention programs “as well as a clear commitment to reducing the number of house fires in the community,” the organization said.

Although residential fires in the United States account for only 20 percent of all fires, they result in 80 percent of all fire deaths, NASFM said.

“Experience tells us that fire prevention activity and public education can significantly reduce life and property loss from residential fires,” Browning later said. “Prevention and education are very cost effective compared to the traditional approach of relying on fire suppression. The Life Safety Achievement Award recognizes fire departments for their fire prevention efforts and encourages them to continually improve upon those efforts.”

The NASFM Fire Research & Education Foundation is a public interest group whose mission is to reduce residential fire deaths and injuries. It advocates the use of residential fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and teaching people fire-safe behavior. It also helps local agencies implement residential sprinkler and smoke alarm programs.

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Photo credit: Woodstock Fire & Rescue