“Protecting lives through community-based fire-safety education is extremely important to us,” Fire Chief Bruce Pagan said. “We want to make sure we deliver the most influential fire safety messages and educational tools which help us to do that.”
According to the NFPA, every year, fire departments in the United States respond to more than 350,000 home fires resulting in at least 2,500 deaths and more than 12,000 injuries - many of which could have been prevented with fire safety education.
"Fire safety education saves lives, but with current budget pressures, it's hard for many departments to pay for a range of educational materials," said Jim Shannon, president of NFPA, coordinator of the program. “Sparky's Wish List: Partnering for Fire-Safe Communities is designed to help close the gap between what fire departments can afford and what they need to educate on fire safety."
The Sparky's Wish List website allows fire departments to create a profile page, identifying specific materials needed for fire education programs. Residents, businesses, and others can then visit the Durham Fire Department’s profile page to choose items to purchase for the fire department.
Want to help a fire department in your state? See a list of departments that have created a Wish List for this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign.