BY SHEILA McLAUGHLIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Four fire departments in Warren and Hamilton counties are among 248 departments nationwide to be recognized for fire prevention efforts in 1997.
Hamilton and Clearcreek townships in Warren County and Anderson Township and St. Bernard in Hamilton County received the Life Safety Achievement Award from Operation Life Safety (OLS).
The award is bestowed each year on fire departments that have had no fire deaths in their coverage area -- an indicator of how well firefighters are doing with fire prevention programs, said OLS Director Patrick Coughlin.
For Hamilton Township Fire Chief Goebel Williams, the honor is a source of pride for his 4-year-old department. Hamilton Township is the second-fastest growing township in Warren County.
"We're pretty proud," he said. "Since our inception we have not had a fire death, although we know we eventually will."
Other fire departments in southwestern Ohio to receive the award include the city of Dayton and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
OLS is a collaboration of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the U.S. Fire Administration and the private sector. The organization seeks to reduce residential fire deaths, injuries and property loss through public awareness, educational programs and the promotion of detectors, alarms and other warning devices.
"The fire prevention efforts of a fire department often go unrecognized," said Mr. Coughlin, who started the awards program five years ago.
"People see the fire trucks with lights and sirens going down the road, but they don't see the behind-the-scenes work that (firefighters) do to prevent fires in the first place. They are saving more lives and costing their citizens less."
