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MAYOR
DAVE
BING
KICKS
OFF 2009
ANGELS’
NIGHT
ANTI-ARSON
CAMPAIGN
Bing
encourages
citizens
to
“Watch
Their
Block”
Mayor
Dave
Bing,
along
with
Fire
Commissioner
James
Mack,
Police
Chief
Warren
Evans
and a
host of
business
and
community
leaders,
kicked
off the
2009
Angels’
Night
Anti-Arson
campaign.
This
year’s
theme,
“Watch
Your
Block,”
encourages
residents
throughout
the city
to keep
an eye
on
vacant
structures
and
foreclosed
homes on
their
block to
help
make
Angels'
Night
2009 a
success.
“This
year’s
Angels’
Night is
one of
our most
important
in
recent
history,”
said
Mayor
Bing.
“The
entire
world
has its
eyes on
Detroit.
This
year's
three-day
campaign
will
continue
to
showcase
our
ability
to stand
hand-in-hand
and work
towards
a common
goal of
keeping
our city
arson
free
during
the
Halloween
period.”
The
Angels’
Night
campaign
- held
annually
from
Oct.
29-31 -
has
become a
time
when
residents
join
together
in
community
pride to
watch
over the
city.
This
year’s
Angels’
Night
campaign
includes
several
components
that
will
help
ensure a
safe
Halloween
in
Detroit.
A key
piece of
Angels'
Night is
fire
safety
and
prevention.
A
precursor
to
Angels’
Night is
Fire
Prevention
Week,
Oct.
4-10. As
part of
the fire
prevention
effort,
the
Detroit
Fire
Department
will
hold
fire
safety/arson
awareness
programs;
host
open
houses
at each
of its
firehouses;
teach
students
fire
prevention,
detection,
and
evacuation
training
in its
Mobile
Fire
Safety
House
Trailer;
and
replace
or
install
smoke
alarms
in
homes.
To
promote
Angels’
Night,
and
actively
recruit
volunteers,
members
of the
Fire
Department
will
host a
new
Angels’
Night
“Watch
Your
Block”
volunteer
recruitment
walk on
Saturday,
October
17, in
the
48223
zip
code.
Detroiters
can get
involved
in the
Angels'
Night
effort
in
several
ways.
Primary
elements
of the
Angels’
Night
program
are:
• The
Watch
Your
Block
Patrol
Program
organizes
teams of
volunteers
to
patrol
streets
in
Detroit.
Block
clubs,
Citizens’
Radio
Patrols,
community
organizations
and
churches
are
encouraged
to
patrol a
two- to
three-block
radius
around
their
neighborhoods.
• The
Adopt-A-House
Program
seeks
volunteers
to watch
or adopt
specific
vacant
buildings
in city
neighborhoods.
"This
Building
Is Being
Watched"
signs
are
posted
on
adopted
buildings.
• The
Porch
Light
Program
encourages
volunteers
to turn
on their
porch
lights,
or any
outdoor
lights,
between
dusk and
dawn.
• The
Eyes and
Ears
Program
calls
volunteers
to
regularly
look out
their
windows
to make
sure no
suspicious
activity
is
taking
place,
and to
call
9-1-1 if
they do
see
something
out of
the
ordinary.
• The
Orange
Ribbon
Campaign
encourages
Detroiters
to wear
an
orange
ribbon
tied in
a bow to
show
their
support
for
Angels’
Night
efforts.
Volunteers
are
needed
for each
night
during
the
three-day
Halloween
period
(Oct. 29
- 31).
City
officials
also are
encouraging
all
residents
to:
• Turn
on
outside
lights
at their
homes or
businesses
from
dusk
until
morning
on each
day of
the
Halloween
period.
• Report
any
suspicious
activity
they
observe
to the
Detroit
Police
Department
by
calling
9-1-1.
• Place
refuse
containers
or bulk
items at
the curb
before 7
a.m. on
the
morning
of the
collection
day,
rather
than the
night
before.
Remove
refuse
containers
immediately
after
refuse
is
collected.
For more
information
about
Angels’
Night,
call the
Angels’
Night
Volunteer
Hotline
at (313)
224-4415,
go to
the
City’s
Web site
at
www.angelsnight.org
, or
contact
your
local
Neighborhood
City
Hall
offices
at (313)
224-3450.
Leaders
Support Protecting Detroit Angels’ Night
 DETROIT
(Tell Us Det) - A show of support from Detroit’s
leadership was on hand at Department Engine Company 9
Wednesday morning to support protecting the city from
arson during the upcoming Angels’ Night. Incumbent city
council members and challengers attended the news
conference bringing volunteers with them who will be out
this weekend keeping the city safe.
This year’s Angel’s
Night is a “Perfect storm for something negative to
happen” Bing said given the condition of the economy and
citizen’s frustration with unemployment. But the Mayor
said he is prepared to fights these conditions and win.
He encouraged community groups to volunteer and
neighbors “To keep their lights on, watch your block”
and keep our city safe.
The city’s Police
and Fire departments will join forces over the three day
Angel’s night weekend to patrol areas they have targeted
as high risk for arson. In years past, arsonists have
used the three-day Halloween period, once known as
Devils' Night, to set fires to vacant houses and
buildings. Armies of volunteers patrolling neighborhoods
have greatly decreased the number of fires, which
reached more than 800 in 1984.
A greater number of
abandoned houses and foreclosures in the city this
year’s has increased the need for a visible presence of
volunteers out on Angels’ Night. Each of the candidates
and incumbents on hand encouraged citizens to get
involved. And they praised Bing’s efforts organize law
enforcement and volunteers to make sure residents are
safe and Detroit is painted in a negative light. |
