Detroit Mayor Dave Bing addresses community volunteers at the 2009 Angels Night Rally on the city's northside. (Photo by HB Meeks/Tell Us Detroit)

MAYOR DAVE BING KICKS OFF 2009 ANGELS’ NIGHT ANTI-ARSON CAMPAIGN
Bing encourages citizens to “Watch Your Block"

DETROIT - 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.


Fire Commissioner James Mack, Police Chief Warren Evans, Mayor Dave Bing, MFBA President Ed Deeb and a host of business and community leaders comment on Angels Night

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.