In honor of National Fire Prevention Week, a statewide initiative to promote smoke-free housing properties is taking action in Madison this week, according to a Thursday City of Madison press release.
Clear Gains Initiative, Public Health Madison and Dane County, the Madison Fire Department and the Tobacco Free Columbia-Dane County Coalition, or TFCDC, are combining efforts to encourage Madison property owners to implement smoke-free environments.
Nina Gregerson, assistant coordinator for the TFCDC, discussed the goal of the movement in the release.
“The TFCDC is committed to reducing the impact of smoking-related fires and their potential to cause property damage and loss of life,” Gregerson said, adding that smoking-related fires accounted for 88 percent of all property losses in Madison between 2005-’11.
The Clear Gains Initiative is a statewide organization, and said in the release it hopes that its success in Madison will inspire the rest of the state to follow suit in enacting these policies. The initiative works with local landlords and provides them with resources and strategies to help them implement smoke-free properties.
According to the release, these policies increase fire safety, improve resident health and reduce costs for landlords and future tenants.
This initiative has already achieved a great deal of success in carrying out its mission, according to the release. Gregerson says the TFCDC has already aided more than 25 properties in creating smoke-free environments across Dane County, amounting to over 7,500 residents now living in these environments.
