For the second year in a row, the City of Alcoa Fire Department has been presented with a Life Safety Achievement Award for the year 2006 by the Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI). Roy L. Marshall, Director of the RFSI, recently announced the award winners.

For 14 years, the Life Safety Achievement Award has recognized local fire prevention activities that contributed to reducing the number of lives lost in residential fires. The City of Alcoa Fire Department qualified for this award because it recorded no fire deaths in structures in 2006. 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. As of October 1, 2007, 675 fire departments received the 2006 award 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 fire 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.

City Manager Mark Johnson responded with news of the award by saying, “The citizens of Alcoa are deeply appreciative to the fire fighters for their hard work and dedication for the fire protection services they provide to Alcoa citizens and property.”