PRESS RELEASE
To: NEWSROOM
For Immediate Release
Contact: Asst. Chief Brian Crawford: 673-6652 or cell: 455-2609

January 17, 2007 - Fire Department Reports No Fire Deaths in Shreveport for 2006

First time in 25 years no deaths recorded due to fire in city

The Shreveport Fire Department works tirelessly at not only putting out fires and saving lives but in promoting fire prevention as well. This combination of efforts paid off for the department and the citizens of Shreveport in 2006 when for the first time in more than 25 years no deaths related or attributed to fire were recorded.

According to Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran minimizing and even eliminating fire deaths has been one of his primary focuses since taking the reins of the department eight years ago. “For a city of our size to record no fire deaths for a calendar year speaks volumes about the quality of the fire department and commitment of City Administration” he said. “Whether fighting fire, teaching a fire prevention program, installing smoke detectors, training our personnel to the highest level, dispatching help to a frantic scene, or keeping our equipment running down the road, this accomplishment is a total team effort of all our personnel.” He added that without the help of a City Administration in providing the financial resources necessary to maintain such an elite department, this would not be possible.

Over the last 25 years (since 1982, see table 1) the department has recorded 155 fire related deaths for an annual average of more than six deaths a year. The highest year was 1982, recording 12 losses. Until 2006 the lowest total for a year in the 25 year span was two deaths in 1998. Since 2000 the department has recorded it lowest six year total, averaging only 3.4 deaths annually over that span.

The Shreveport Fire Department is an ISO rated Class 1 department and has 21 fire stations and more than 600 personnel. It provides fire suppression, EMS, and Hazardous Material response to the City of Shreveport. It has a $47 million operating budget.

Shreveport Fire Deaths

Year	Fire Deaths	Year	Fire Deaths
1982	12	1995	4
1983	9	1996	4
1984	4	1997	10
1985	7	1998	2
1986	7	1999	4
1987	5	2000	3
1988	8	2001	4
1889	7	2002	3
1990	11	2003	5
1991	9	2004	3
1992	6	2005	6
1993	11	2006	0
1994	11	TOTAL	155 (6.2avg.)

Source: Shreveport Fire Department Annual Reports; Shreveport Fire Department Statistical Summaries; and data from FireRMS.