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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
[Department/Organization Name Here] Pledges to “Buckle Up”
[DATE] – Emmitsburg, MD – The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) today recognized the [DEPARTMENT NAME HERE] for outstanding compliance in the International First Responder Seatbelt Pledge. Every member, including the administrative staff, has signed the pledge to buckle up every time they are in a department vehicle.
"Motor vehicle crashes are the second-leading cause of firefighter fatalities in the United States and this effort aims to reduce the number of preventable fatalities," said Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, Executive Director of the NFFF. "Just as you need to get to the scene of a call quickly, you need to get there safely; buckling your seatbelt is the easiest safety measure you can take."
In 2006, the National Fire Service Seatbelt Pledge was created after the tragic death of Firefighter Brian Hutton who died after falling from his fire truck on the way to a call. Dr. Burton Clark, a distinguished member of the fire service and training specialist at the National Fire Academy, was compelled to challenge firefighters to improve their personal safety by wearing their seatbelts. The initiative is managed through the NFFF’s Everyone Goes Home® program.
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For more information on the International First Responder Seatbelt Pledge, the Everyone Goes Home® program, or the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation please go to www.everyonegoeshome.com.