National Arson Awareness Week
May 6-12, 2001
Release Date: May 6, 2001
Release Number: R10-01-22
Seattle, WA -- This week is National Arson Awareness Week and this year's theme, spearheaded by the U.S. Fire Administration and the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) will focus on arson at abandoned buildings. Additional partners include the Insurance Committee for Arson Control (ICAC), the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU), and the American Reinsurance Company. According to FEMA Acting Regional Director Tammy Doherty, Arson Awareness Week sponsors are asking communities to zero-in for a moment - perhaps a life-saving moment- on arson prevention.
"More than 70 percent of all fires in vacant or abandoned buildings are incendiary or suspicious," said Doherty. "Unsecured vacant buildings pose life safety and property exposure hazards that are as obvious as they are urgent. This year, National Arson Awareness Week encourages communities, civic action groups and local governments to implement vacant building mitigation programs to prevent future conflagration.
Arson Awareness Week information is available from the USFA (www.usfa.fema.gov), International Association of Arson Investigators (www.firearson.com), InterFIRE (www.interfire.org) and Firehouse Magazine (www.firehouse.com). For more information contact USFA at 1-888-603-3100.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 28-Oct-2003 16:15:51