QUESTION
Why has the NYC Fire Department reduced its number of life safety education presentations?
1:03:46
·
138 sec
Kevin Woods clarifies that despite the reduction in the number of presentations, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has significantly increased its fire safety outreach, educating over 422,000 people in 2023.
- In 2021, the FDNY educated 151,000 people, and this number tripled by 2023 to over 422,000.
- The FDNY partners with the Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) for city-wide campaigns and works with schools, faith-based organizations, and offers support after fatal fires.
- After fatal fires, the FDNY sets up information tables and targets schools in the affected area, providing materials in over 10 languages and bringing translators if needed.
- The outreach focuses on specific causes of fire and promotes practices like space heater safety, which includes not using extension cords and maintaining a safe distance around the heaters.
Joann Ariola
1:03:46
So according to the PMMR, the number of life safety education presentation, decreased from 1449 in the 1st 4 months of FY 2023 to 735 in the 1st 4 months of FY 2024.
1:04:02
This is a marked decline in the number of presentations.
1:04:06
Why has the department reduced these presentations so significantly?
Kevin Woods
1:04:10
Fire Safety Education.
1:04:12
So the FDNY is committed to educating the public on fire safety.
1:04:17
In 2021, our fire safety education team educated 151,000 people.
1:04:23
In 2023, you heard of my testimony, over 422,000 people, that tripled in 2 years.
1:04:31
So we partner with HPD this past fault or a national fire prevention week, we had a city wide fire campaign, and it was called keeping homes fire safe.
1:04:43
To educate all New Yorkers on fire safety.
1:04:47
We emphasize things like self closing doors, space heater, seasonal lithium ion battery.
1:04:54
So the outreach is is very robust.
1:04:57
We, again, partnered with our schools, our faith based organization, patience.
1:05:03
And we also have outreach after a fatal fire.
1:05:06
So after a fatal fire, we'll have information tables In front of the building, maybe on the block, we'll target schools, and there could be language barriers as we heard earlier.
1:05:18
So our fire safety education material is written.
1:05:21
We have it in over 10 languages.
1:05:23
So if there's a language barrier at the scene, we will bring a translator.
1:05:28
So we try to focus on that.
1:05:29
We also try to focus on during this fatal fire.
1:05:33
The cause of that fire So if it's space heaters for instance, we'll talk all about space heaters safety, such as not using extension cords.
1:05:42
Not having it plugged in or on when you're sleeping.
1:05:45
So keeping 3 feet, space heaters need space.
1:05:49
Right?
1:05:49
So space 3 feet around a space heater.
1:05:51
That's what we need, and that's the education we're trying to trying to give.
Joann Ariola
1:05:57
Okay.
1:05:57
Great.
1:05:58
That's great.
1:05:58
And and I'm glad that it's in many languages, and you are able to bring translators on-site.