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 South Middleton Twp Fire Company Earns 2004 Life Safety Achievement Award

The South Middleton Twp Fire Company has been presented with a Life Safety Achievement Award for the year 2004 by the Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI). The award was announced by Roy L. Marshall, Director of the RFSI in late 2004.

For 12 years, the Life Safety Achievement Award has recognized the local fire prevention activities that contributed to reducing the number of lives lost in residential fires. The South Middleton Twp Fire Company qualified for this award in the year 2004 because it recorded zero fire deaths in structures during that year. Although residential fires in the U.S. account for only 20 percent of all fires, they result in 80 percent of all fire deaths. The RFSI is committed to reducing that number. A total of 792* fire departments in the U.S., Italy, Greece and Iceland received the 2004 Life Safety Achievement Award.

"Experience tells us that fire prevention activity and public education can significantly reduce life and property loss from residential fires," Marshall 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 those efforts."

The RFSI is a public interest group whose mission is to reduce residential fire deaths and injuries. The RFSI advocates the use of residential sprinklers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and teaching people fire-safe behavior. The RFSI assists fire departments with implementing residential sprinkler/smoke alarm programs on a local basis. The RFSI's membership includes the United States Fire Administration, the National Association of State Fire Marshals and private industry/associations with an interest in and commitment to residential fire safety.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roy L Marshall, Director
Residential Fire Safety Institute
2734  230th St.
Stanton, IA 51573
Tel: (712) 829-2734
Fax: (712) 829-2734
Email: rfsirlm@netins.net
RFSI web site:  www.firesafehome.org

The 2004 Life Safety Achievement award  has been sponsored by a grant from the Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, Grinnell, IA