As part of their planning for October’s Fire Prevention Week, the National Volunteer Fire Council and Fire Corps have joined forces with the National Fire Protection Association and safety advocates nationwide to increase awareness regarding fire safety. This year’s campaign focuses on preventing cooking fires, which is the leading cause of home fires according to the latest NFPA research.

“It is vitally important to create and maintain awareness about fire safety and prevention,” said Heather Schafer, executive director of the NVFC. “The NVFC has a strong tradition of promoting fire safety through our programs and efforts. Fire Prevention Week is a wonderful opportunity for us to join with other organizations to garner national attention for this important topic.”

The NVFC has several initiatives that promote fire safety. One key program is the Fire Corps, a federally funded, locally driven effort under Citizen Corps. Administered on a national level by the NVFC, the Fire Corps encourages community members to offer their time and talents to local fire/EMS departments in a non-emergency capacity, enabling department personnel to focus their efforts on providing emergency services. The Fire Corps also allows departments to provide additional services they may not otherwise be able to offer, including fire safety training in the community.

Throughout Fire Prevention Week, the NVFC and the Fire Corps will feature articles related to fire safety on their Web sites and send out broadcast e-mails each day featuring a different fire safety tip.