MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Firefighter Johnny Brewington loves his job, but there's one part he wishes were different: Instead of putting out fires, he'd rather prevent them.
Brewington heads the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, which is partnering with the U.S. Fire Administration in a new program to reduce the number of black children killed in fires in Alabama and elsewhere.
The Multicultural Fire Safety Campaign for Babies and Toddlers starts Wednesday and targets 20 states throughout the country that account for 88 percent of the national black population, Brewington said.
``If there's a good thing about a bad situation, it's that Alabama's not leading,'' Brewington said Tuesday.
A study by the Fire Administration found that fires and burns were the leading cause of death for black children under 5 from 1989 to 1998, killing 2,217 nationwide. Sixty-three of those deaths occurred in Alabama.
Maryland and Illinois had the highest rates of fire deaths for black children among the targeted states.
Mary Weidler, a policy analyst for Alabama Arise, an advocacy group for the poor, said people in rural areas commonly use ovens and space heaters to heat their homes, practices that could contribute to the amount of residential fires.
Weidler said three bills introduced to the Legislature during the last session also would have helped cut down the problem, but they were not passed.
``We've been trying to pass these bills that would give tenants some rights and one of those rights is to live in a place that is heated and wired properly,'' she said.
The safety campaign will provide a variety of educational materials, including videos and brochures, to fire departments and other groups in high-risk communities.
Local chapters of Brewington's group will help with making sure the materials are distributed to the right places, he said.
Amanda Calhoun, injury prevention health educator with the Alabama's health department, said the department's fire alarm installation program has been credited with saving 120 lives since it began in 1998.
``Alabama's been in the top 10 for years as far as fire deaths,'' she said. ``This is definitely a big issue for Alabama and the nation and as long as there are people at risk, there are needs for these programs.''
Lt. Jim Ingram heads the Montgomery Fire Department's public education division and often directs fire safety programs at schools and senior centers. Education is the key, he said.
``Definitely our motto is prevention by education,'' Ingram said. ``That is what we strive for. The more we can educate the public, the less emergency calls and the less emergencies that will happen.''
