Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta will join U.S. Fire Administator Gregory B. Cade of the Department of Homeland Security tomorrow in Rockefeller Center to announce that the FDNY Foundation, the non-profit arm of the New York City Fire Department, will receive a major federal grant to create and develop an innovative fire safety educational campaign targeting the millions of people who live and work in New York City.

The unprecedented grant will help the FDNY Foundation launch a cutting-edge educational campaign in the coming months designed to promote fire safety awareness and fire prevention tips among New Yorkers of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Through television and radio spots, print advertisements and the Internet, the campaign’s goal is to further reduce the number of fires throughout the five boroughs, as well as civilian fire fatalities and injuries.

As part of Fire Prevention Week 2007, which runs from October 7 to October 13, the FDNY also will be hosting a fire safety education expo at Rockefeller Center tomorrow. Members of the Fire Safety Education Unit will provide fire safety tips, activities and demonstrations, and firefighters will perform a series of simulated rescues, rope drills, vehicle extrication techniques and demonstrate the proper handling of a mock hazardous materials incident.
 
Throughout this week, the FDNY is hosting fire safety education expos in every borough, including various interactive exhibits and activities for people of all ages – so New Yorkers can better understand the dangers of fire and how to protect themselves. For fire safety tips, visit www.nyc.gov/fdny or www.fdnyfirezone.org

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Press Contact: Francis X. Gribbon & Tony Sclafani, (FDNY) (718) 999-2056

http://www.nyc.gov/fdny