(Time :60)
A courthouse burns in Clarinda. A 100-year-old farm house is lost in a matter of minutes. A young mother and her child die in their sleep, choked by smoke and flames from yet another tragic fire.
Fires are tragic for another reason - many could have been prevented. A shorted-out string of Christmas lights. An overloaded electrical outlet overlooked one day too long. A portable heater that quits working.
All everyday mistakes. All potential fire tragedies.
These mistakes don't have to end in tragedy. We can reduce the number of fires, which killed 36 people in Iowa last year and caused more than $50 million damage to homes, farms and businesses. The key is safety, and remembering to practice it.
For more information about this and other topics on farm safety, contact your local Iowa State University Extension office. This message is part of the SAFE FARM program of Iowa State University and a network of groups that serve Iowa farm workers and their families.
This radio public service announcement script was distributed by Iowa State University Extension as part of the Safe Farm program. Safe Farm promotes health and safety in agriculture. It is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Iowa State University, and a network of groups that serve Iowa farm workers and their families. Distribution date: January 1992.
Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More