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Press Release

U.S. Attorney's Office Observes Arson Awareness Week

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Alabama

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a branch of FEMA, is hosting its annual Arson Awareness Week from May 7 to 13. This year’s theme is “Preventing Arson at Houses of Worship.” Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler for the Southern District of Alabama is encouraging our local religious communities to get involved and take measures to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of arson. The Pew Research Center recently noted that, over the past several years and nationwide, 51% of reported fire incidents at faith-based locations were determined to be arson.

 

The USFA hopes to reduce the odds of faith-based facilities becoming targets of arson, through educating leaders on how to identify and eliminate potential fire hazards and minimize the risk of injuries. For example, there are various activities that municipalities can host to generate arson awareness, such as Congregation Fire Safety Days where local fire departments offer fire safety training for houses of worship. The USFA also suggests that houses of worship host Clean-Up Days to identify areas on their properties that need attention and remove any potentially combustible materials from the grounds. To find out more about USFA’s recommendations, please visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/arson_awareness.html.

 

The Department of Homeland Security’s Protective Security Advisor Program (PSA) also offers assistance to houses of worship by conducting arson and security reviews, and addressing active shooter risks. For more information about these programs, please visit https://www.dhs.gov/protective-security-advisors and contact the DHS National Infrastructure Coordinating Center at (202) 282-9201 to learn about the closest PSA.

 

Locally, in the City of Prichard, Mayor Gardner and the City Council have proclaimed May 7 through 13 as Arson Awareness Week to stress the importance of arson prevention to their faith-based communities.

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Updated May 11, 2017