Ronald Reagan

“ Last year seventy-five hundred Americans lost their lives in fires in homes, hotels, and other structures. In addition, the combined annual cost of property destruction and fire protection amounted to twenty-one billion dollars. This tragic loss of life and property which our Nation experiences each year due to the ravages of fire diminishes our precious resources and must be minimized. ”

“ I urge citizens, industry, and State and local government to continue their successful efforts to safeguard lives and property from the dangers of fire by installing and maintaining smoke detectors along with proper and adequate escape plans. ”

“ My proclamation of last year stressed the value of smoke detectors and home escape plans. While smoke detector usage has increased substantially over last year, thirty-seven percent of the homes in the United States still do not have this lifesaving protection. Studies demonstrate, that, tragically, homes without smoke detectors suffer a disproportionate number of reported fires and deaths. ”