P.O. Box 237 Uniontown, OH 44685-0237 Phone: 216-447-6331 Website: ohiofsc.org

NEWS

September 2007

Ohio Fire Safety Coalition Supports National Campus Fire Safety Month

In the wake of the most fatal academic year on record for fire-related deaths at U.S. colleges, Ohio Fire Safety Coalition, OFSC, coordinated a kick-off event for National Campus Fire Safety Month at Kent State University on Wednesday, Sept 12. The event highlighted the benefits of fire sprinkler systems through live demonstrations and speakers including Ohio State Fire Marshall Michael Bell and Doug and Linda Turnbull, who lost their daughter, Julie, in an off-campus fire at Miami University in April 2005.

Two mocked-up student residence hall rooms, one with a sprinkler system and one without, were burned at the event. The staged fires clearly illustrated the devastating effects fire can have when sprinklers are not present.

Two identical mock-ups of student rooms shown before the burning demonstration	The same rooms during the staged fire. The room on the left had a fire sprinkler system installed; the room on the right did not.

“Despite the fact that there has never been a multiple death fire in any building with a properly-installed fire sprinkler system, only two percent of new homes being built today contain residential sprinklers,” Kuwatch said. “With nearly 4,000 people dying in fires across the country each year, we have an opportunity to save countless lives through education and awareness efforts focused on the benefits of fire sprinkler systems.” 

Matthew Kuwatch, the executive director and chairman of the board of trustees for the Ohio Fire Safety Coalition, partnered with Kent State and national study group Campus Firewatch to organize the event. University officials, the Kent Fire Department, the Peoples Burn Center of Indiana and the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, Westlake Fire Department, among other organizations, were also on hand to promote fire safety.  

Smoke and sprinkler trailer demonstrations	From left: Matthew Kuwatch, Doug Turnbull, State Fire Marshall Michael Bell, Linda Turnbull, Ed Comeau, publisher of Campus Firewatch

In conjunction with the events, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland issued a proclamation designating September as Campus Fire Safety Month. To date, 28 states have issued similar proclamations. 
The Ohio Fire Safety Coalition is a non-profit organization created to educate the Ohio public on fire safety and the life-saving value of residential fire sprinkler systems. Its members are comprised of individuals from the fire protection and fire service industry. 
Several local media outlets covered the event.   See the following link for additional information on Campus Fire Safety Month http://campusfiresafetymonth.org/activities_07.htm