| WHEREAS, the month
of September 2011 has been designated as
"Campus Fire Safety Month" in the
United States Virgin Islands to highlight the
important of making fire safety education and
awareness a part of our daily life; and WHEREAS,
recent student-related housing fires in
Minnesota, Maryland, California, Indiana, New
York and Michigan and other schools across the
country has tragically cut short the live of
some of the youth of our Nation; and
WHEREAS, since
January 2000, at least 43 persons, including
students, parents and children has died in campus-related
fires; and
WHEREAS, over 85%
of these deaths have occurred in off-campus occupancies;
and
WHEREAS, a
majority of the students from across the Nation
live in off-campus occupancies; and
WHEREAS, a number
of fatal fires have occurred in buildings where
the fire safety systems have been compromised or
disabled by the occupants; and
WHEREAS, it is recognized that automatic fire
alarm systems provide the necessary early warning to occupants and the fire
department of a fire so that appropriate action can be taken; and
WHEREAS, it is recognized that automatic fire
sprinkler systems are a highly effective method of controlling or
extinguishing a fire in its early stages, protecting the lives of
the building's occupants; and
WHEREAS, many students are living
in off- campus occupancies, that are not Greek housing, and residence halls
protected that are not adequately protected with
automatic fire sprinkler alarm systems; and
WHEREAS , it is recognized that fire safety education is an
effective method of reducing the occurrence of fires and reducing
the resulting loss of life and property damage; and
WHEREAS, students are not routinely receiving effective fire
safety education throughout their entire college career; and
WHEREAS, it is vital to educate the future generation of our
Nation about the importance of fire safety behavior so that these
behaviors can help to ensure their safety during their college
years and beyond; and
WHEREAS, by
developing a generation of fire-safe adults,
future loss of life from fires can be
significantly reduced;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John P.
de Jonqh, Jr., Governor of the
United States Virgin Is1ands, by virtue of the authority vested
in me by the Revised Organic Act of 1954, as amended, do hereby
proclaim the month of September 2011 as
"Campus Fire Safety Month" in the
United States Virgin Islands. I call. upon the Department of
Education, the University of the Virgin Islands, and
all Territorial public and parochial schools to provide
educational programs, to make fire safety a
daily concern all year long, and to participate in the activities scheduled for the month of September
2011 . I further encourage all schools and agencies to evaluate the
level of fire safety being provided in both on and off campus
student housing and to take the necessary steps to ensure fire-safe
living environments through fire safety education,
installation of fire suppression and detection systems, and the development and
enforcement of app1icable codes relating to fire safety .
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause
the Seal. of the Government of the Virgin Islands
of the United States to be affixed at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin
Islands, this 15th day of August, A.D., 2011.
John P.
de Jongh, Jr.
Governor
Attest:
Gregory
R. Francis
Lieutenant Governor
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