Title
To declare the week of May 6 through 12, 2018 Arson Prevention Week in Columbus, Ohio.
Body
WHEREAS, Each year for National Arson Awareness Week, the U.S. Fire Administration gathers and shares information to raise awareness of arson or youth fire setting and provide individuals with strategies to combat these problems in their community; and
WHEREAS, The theme of this year's Arson Awareness Week is “Preventing Arson in Houses of Worship”; and
WHEREAS, Each year, from 2013 to 2015, an estimated 23,800 vacant building fires were reported to fire departments within the United States and caused an estimated 75 deaths, 200 injuries and $785 million in property loss.; and
WHEREAS, From 2011-2015, an estimated average of 3,310 firefighters were injured per year at vacant building fires. Thirteen percent of firefighter injuries at structure fires occurred in or at vacant buildings; and
WHEREAS, We will use the week of May 6 to 12 to focus on the importance of a cooperative effort with fire and emergency service departments, law enforcement, public works and insurance companies to help prevent the horrendous crime of arson at vacant and abandoned buildings; and
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby declare May 6-12, 2018 as Arson Awareness Week and encourages all citizens to learn more about the immense toll arson takes on our community, with steps they can take to help prevent it.