The Golden Fire Department received the 2004 Life Safety Achievement Award from the Residential Fire Safety Institute. Fire departments are eligible for the award if there are no structure-fire fatalities in their districts during the year.

“We are thrilled to receive this award for the fifth year in a row,” said Golden Fire Marshal Jerry Stricker. “It is a testament to the quality of our fire prevention and public education programs, as well as the dedication of our volunteer firefighters.”

For 12 years, the Life Safety Achievement Award has recognized local fire prevention activities that contribute to reducing the number of lives lost in residential fires. Although residential fires in the United States account for only 20 percent of all fires, they result in 80 percent of all fire deaths. The RFSI is committed to reducing that number. A total of 792 fire departments in the United States, Canada, Iceland, Italy and Greece received the 2004 Life Safety Achievement Award.

“Experience tells us that fire prevention activity and public education can significantly reduce life and property loss from residential fires,” RFSI Director Roy L. Marshall said. “Prevention and education are very cost effective compared to the traditional approach of relying on fire suppression. The Life Safety Achievement Award recognizes fire departments for their fire prevention efforts and encourages them to continually improve those efforts.”

The RFSI is a public interest group whose mission is to reduce residential fire deaths and injuries. The RFSI advocates the use of residential fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and teaching people fire-safe behavior. For more information on RFSI or the 2004 Life Safety Achievement Award, visit www.firesafehome.org or call 712-829-2734.