COLUMBUS – With National Arson Awareness Week underway May 1-7, State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon stresses it’s important to always maintain a safe environment to protect your home against arson, no matter where you live.
“Arson destroys more than buildings,” Reardon said. “It can devastate a community resulting in the decline of the neighborhood through increased insurance premiums, loss of business revenue, and a decrease in property values.”
Ohioans are urged to incorporate the following safety guidelines and recommendations to decrease the opportunities for arson in their communities:
- Illuminate exterior areas and entrances: Install lights covering all sides of the house.
- Trim or remove shrubbery that blocks the view of the house from the street.
- Install smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system.
- Secure abandoned and vacant homes, which are potential arson targets.
- Keep doors and windows locked: All external doors should be equipped with dead bolts. A simple locked door could be the deterrent that saves a house from arson.
- Clear excess vegetation and piles of leaves, and remove trash or partial cans of paint and other materials that could become kindling and fuel a fire for an arsonist.
Arson fires are preventable through education and awareness, additional resources are available at the State Fire Marshal’s website: com.ohio.gov/fire.
