SLS 15RS-1301 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 89
BY SENATOR JOHNS
SENATE. Designates May 3-9, 2015, as Arson Awareness Week in the state of Louisiana.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To designate May 3 through May 9, 2015, as Arson Awareness Week in the state of
3 Louisiana.
4 WHEREAS, the theme for 2015 Arson Awareness Week is, "Accelerant Detection
5 Canine – Sniffing out Arson"; and
6 WHEREAS, according to the United States Fire Administration, from 2010 to 2012,
7 an estimated 17,400 intentionally-set fires in residential buildings were reported to the
8 United States fire departments each year, resulting in 275 civilian deaths, 800 civilian
9 injuries, and 513 million dollars in property loss; for this same time period, an estimated
10 9,000 intentionally-set fires occurred in nonresidential buildings, resulting in 282 million
11 dollars in property loss; and
12 WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from 2009 to 2013,
13 there was an average of 53,127 reported arsons with an average dollar loss of 15,086 per
14 incident; and
15 WHEREAS, an accelerant detection canine is trained to sniff out minute traces of
16 ignitable liquid accelerants that may have been used to start a fire; each dog is part of a team
17 that is composed of the canine and its handler; and
18 WHEREAS, these exceptionally trained canines possess superior abilities in
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SLS 15RS-1301 ORIGINAL
1 identifying odors and discriminating among scents, and it takes a trained canine roughly
2 thirty minutes to work a fire scene; and
3 WHEREAS, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal maintains nine canine teams across the
4 state, four of which are accelerant detection canines that provide the citizens of Louisiana
5 with great service; and
6 WHEREAS, the week of May 3 through May 9, 2015, is designated to focus on the
7 value and outstanding contributions accelerant detections canines provide to fire
8 departments, law enforcement agencies, and their communities.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
10 does hereby designate May 3 through May 9, 2015, as Arson Awareness Week in the state
11 of Louisiana and does hereby pay special tribute to all fire and law enforcement investigative
12 agencies for their dedication and tireless service to the citizens of Louisiana.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Chief
14 H. "Butch" Browning and Deputy Chief Brant L. Thompson of the Louisiana Office of State
15 Fire Marshal.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
SR 89 Original 2015 Regular Session Johns
Designates May 3-May 9, 2015, as Arson Awareness Week in the state of Louisiana.
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