Seat Pleasant Volunteers Heed the Fire Chief’s Call to Service

For Immediate Release

December 02, 2011

Phil Martin, Public Information Officer

(301) 836-1957

phil.martin@seatpleasantfire.com

Marcus Jones, President

(240) 350-8877

marcus.jones@seatpleasantfire.com

Seat Pleasant, Maryland – Late Friday morning, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Chief Marc S. Bashoor released a memo to all sworn, volunteer and civilian members of the department stressing the importance of smoke detectors and asking all stations to begin smoke detector checks. Throughout the month, the fire department will implement the “Safety First for the Holidays” initiative. Fire department personnel will be canvassing neighborhoods checking and installing smoke detectors, as well as passing out literature and sharing important fire safety information.  “Fire safety education is the most important aspect of the fire service. At Seat Pleasant (Volunteer Fire Company), we understand that. Earlier this year I developed a committee whose main focus is to educate the public on this matter,” said Marcus Jones, the Company’s President.

“We all know the value of a working smoke alarm and we need to do everything possible to ensure that every home in our county is afforded that protection,” said Fire Chief Bashoor. Between the hours of 9:00AM and 8:00PM, after fire department units clear a call they have been instructed to offer and perform a smoke alarm check on that residence, as well as surrounding homes. In addition, each Saturday and Monday throughout December, each station should perform a two-hour neighborhood canvass knocking on doors to offer smoke alarm checks as well as to offer fire safety and seasonal safety tips. The goal is to ensure that every home the fire department visits has a working smoke detector.  Members from the Seat Pleasant Volunteer Fire Company will be canvassing nearby areas on Saturday December 10, 2011 starting at 9:00AM.

This initiative comes after a fatal house fire that occurred in the County earlier this week where three residents were fatally injured. “While the operations, rescue, treatment, and transport phases of this incident were all performed admirably, the absence of one simple working smoke detector that could have protected the residents of this house should be extremely frustrating and disconcerting to all of us,” Bashoor also noted. For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Phil Martin at 301-836-1957.