MAY 4 –10 IS ARSON AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW YORK STATE

New York State has joined the United States Fire Administration, the International Association of Arson Investigators, the National Association of State Fire Marshals and the National Volunteer Fire Council to promote this year’s Arson Awareness theme – “Vehicle Arson-A Combustible Crime,” and has proclaimed May 4- May 10 as Arson Awareness Week in the State.

The goal for this year’s Arson Awareness Week is to focus on the importance of a collaborative effort with fire and emergency service departments, law enforcement, insurance companies and the justice system to help reduce the unscrupulous crime of vehicle arson. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program indicates that over the last 10 years (2003-2012) there has been an average of 14,737 vehicle arsons reported, accounting for 26.5 percent of total arsons annually.

For more information, visit the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control website: www.dhses.ny.gov/ofpc/resources and the United States Fire Administration website www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/subjects/arson/arson_awareness.shtm for more information.