To the Editor:

Communities across New York State including ours will be celebrating Fire Prevention Week by teaching children about the dangers of fire and how to protect themselves.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoking remains the leading cause of fire-related deaths in the U.S. To protect your children and your home from the threat of fire and second-hand smoke, you should not smoke in your home and if you live in an apartment, encourage your landlord to adopt a smoke-free policy for your building.

Many residential fire deaths and injuries are preventable, particularly those caused by careless smoking.

Benjamin R. Todd, Tobacco Program Coordinator