Campus Fire Safety Month

Proclamation

By the Governor of Alabama

WHEREAS, since January 2000, at least 170 people, including students, parents and children have died in college-related fires and approximately 87 percent of these deaths have occurred in off-campus occupancies; and

WHEREAS, recent student-related housing fires in Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Washington, DC, and other schools across the country have tragically cut short the lives of some of the youth of our Nation; and

WHEREAS, a majority of the students across the Nation live in off-campus occupancies; and

WHEREAS, a number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings where the fire safety systems have been compromised or disabled by the occupants; and

WHEREAS,  it is recognized that automatic fire alarm systems and smoke alarms provide the necessary early warning to occupants and the fire department of a fire so that appropriate action can be taken; and

WHEREAS,  it is recognized that automatic fire sprinkler systems are a highly effective method of controlling or extinguishing a fire in its early stages, protecting the lives of the building’s occupants; and

WHEREAS,  many students are living in off-campus occupancies, Greek housing, and residence halls that are not adequately protected with automatic fire sprinkler systems and automatic fire alarm systems or adequate smoke alarms; and

WHEREAS,  it is recognized that fire safety education is an effective method of reducing the occurrence of fires and reducing the resulting loss of life and property damage and students are not routinely receiving effective fire safety education throughout their entire college career; and

WHEREAS, it is vital to educate the future generation of our Nation about the importance of fire safety behavior so that these behaviors can help to ensure their safety during their college years and beyond and by developing a generation of fire-safe adults, future loss of life from fires can be significantly reduced:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim September 2016, as

Campus Fire Safety Month

in the State of Alabama.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 1st day of September 2016.

Robert Bentley

Governor