STOW, Mass. (AP) — No children died in fires in Massachusetts last year, the first time that has happened according to records researched by the state fire marshal’s office, the agency said Friday.
Children and seniors are typically at most risk of dying in fires, Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said in a statement.
“To have no children, no one under the age of 18, die in a fire in Massachusetts is an amazing accomplishment,” he said in a statement.
The office has researched records dating to the 1940s, an agency spokesperson said.
Ostroskey says the Student Awareness of Fire Education Program, known as SAFE, deserves much of the credit by teaching fire safety to children in schools.
Adults are responsible for home fire safety, but the program “has brought key safety information on maintaining smoke alarms, practicing home fire drills, cooking, heating, candle and match and lighter safety home to those adults,” Ostroskey said. “Goodness knows there’s nothing like being nagged by a third-grader to test your smoke alarm.”
In all, 39 people died in fires in Massachusetts in 2020, down from 42 in 2019, the agency said.
Seevian on January 9th, 2021 at 14:02 UTC »
That's good! Wait~ how many children die in fires in Massechussetts in an average year???
Drumlin on January 9th, 2021 at 12:45 UTC »
I’m a construction superintendent. Jobsite safety is a key component of my job.
This is what it’s all about. There were hundreds of thousands of very small actions that brought this success. Smoke detectors, improved building codes, educational programs, engineering of products, training of people.
There is no one single thing that leads to a win like this, rather a multitude of little things.
I’m going to be studying this success in great detail and work it in to my own safety training program.
Old_School_New_Age on January 9th, 2021 at 11:07 UTC »
Best stat of the year.