SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Smokey Bear, known for decades for his fight to prevent wildfires, is celebrating his 80th birthday.
And to mark the big event, Southampton Town's public safety and emergency management department, in coordination with the Southampton Trails Advisory Committee, installed new Smokey Bear fire prevention posters on various trails, town officials said.
The Smokey Bear campaign, first launched on August 9, 1944, “is one of the longest running and most successful advertising campaigns in US history. For 80 years, the Smokey Bear has been a symbol of fire prevention, spreading the word that , “Only You Can Prevent Fires,” city officials said in sharing the Smokey Bear website information.
The new Smokey Bear fire prevention posters were placed on six different trails throughout the city, including the Barrel Hill, Red Creek, Long Pond Greenbelt, Mulvihill, Laurel Valley and Tuckahoe Woods trails.
Southampton City Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, the city council's liaison to both the fire marshal's office and the trails advisory board, spoke about the effort. “The city of Southampton has some of the best trails and parks to be found. We all need to do what we can to help conserve and preserve these spaces for the enjoyment of future generations. Fire prevention is key to preserving the beautiful green space in the City of Southampton,” he said.
Director of Municipal Code Compliance and Emergency Management Ryan Murphy, who oversees the fire marshal's office and initiated the city's Smokey Bear recognition efforts, added, “The Smokey Bear message of 'Only You Can Prevent Wildfires' is equally more relevant today than ever. they still show that more than 80 percent of fires are still caused by accidents or misbehavior Especially with the devastating effects of the southern pine beetle infestation in our region, our forests are very fragile with a high dead tree fuel that could fuel careless fires. I hope people heed Smokey's warnings.”
Residents visiting the trails are encouraged to join the Smokey Bear birthday celebration by taking a photo of the new signs and posting to social media using the hashtag
#SmokeyBearSouthampton.
