Maryland Higher Education Commission

August 2009 Press Release

 

 

For immediate release: August 21, 2009                                    Media Contact: Christopher Falkenhagen
                                                                                                             Communications: (410) 260-4511

                                                                                                              cfalkenh@mhec.state.md.us

 

Governor O'Malley Designates September

Campus Fire Safety Month

Annapolis, MD (August 21, 2009) - Governor O’Malley will officially proclaim September as “Campus Fire Safety Month.” Since January 2000, at least 134 people including students, parents, and children have died in campus-related fires. More than 80 percent of these deaths occurred in off-campus occupancies.

Governor O’Malley will highlight the importance of automatic fire sprinkler systems and “that fire safety education is an effective method of reducing the occurrence of fire and decreasing the resulting loss of life and property damage,”

“While I know all of Maryland’s two- and four-year public and independent colleges and universities have very strong safety programs in place on their campuses, it is still helpful to remind presidents, administration, faculty, staff and students to be diligent when it comes to emergency preparedness, including the potential for fire either on or off campus,” Secretary of Higher Education James E. Lyons, Sr. said. “Governor O’Malley’s Proclamation strongly re-enforces that message.”

In his Proclamation, Governor O’Malley recognizes “that fire safety education is an effective method of reducing the occurrence of fire and decreasing the resulting loss of life and property damage.”
 

The Maryland Higher Education Commission is a 12-member coordinating board responsible for establishing statewide policies for Maryland public and independent colleges and universities and private career schools. It serves as an advocate for more than 337,000 college students in Maryland, for the State and its needs, and for business and industry in Maryland.

 

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