Pearl Harbor Day Lives On in Infamy
Friday, we remember the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that
led the United States directly into World War II. Bravely, our
now-disappearing Greatest Generation stepped up to fight for
democracy and free the world from the threat of tyranny.
In his speech to the American people, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
proclaimed Dec. 7, 1941, "…a date which will live in infamy...With confidence in
our armed forces, with the unbounded determination of our people, we will gain
the inevitable triumph, so help us God.”
With war declared, more than 250,000 Floridians signed up to serve in the
U.S. military. We remember those who selflessly gave their lives and those who
courageously defended our nation. Pearl Harbor Day reminds us that American
resolve can overcome all in the face of tragedy and despair.
Winter Fire Safety for the Holidays
Since
the weather has gotten colder, the Division of State Fire
Marshal has investigated a number of fires in which Floridians
have died, fires that sadly were determined to have been started
accidentally. These deaths were preventable. You are urged not
to take the safety of your surroundings for granted. Take time
to make sure that your family is protected by implementing these
fire safety measures:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three
feet away from heating equipment, such as the
furnace, fireplace, wood stove or portable
heater.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when
leaving the room or going to bed.
- Always use the right kind of fuel, specified
by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space
heaters.
- Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen
to stop sparks from flying into the room.
- Ashes should be cool before putting them in
a metal container. Keep the container a safe
distance away from your home.
- Test smoke alarms monthly.
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on
the stove top so you can keep an eye on the
food.
Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires
during the winter months. Roughly two-thirds of home-fire deaths
happen in homes with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that were
either broken or had dead batteries. To find out more about the
Division of State Fire Marshal and fire prevention, go to
www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Division/SFM/.
Florida's Bottom Line
In
recent months, several surveys and studies were released that speak to
the quality of Florida's business climate and discuss Florida's ranking
alongside other states. Here are these resources in case you missed
them:
The
latest edition of Florida's Bottom Line's lead story is on access to
capital
Florida Chamber's
Small Business Index Survey
results
The National Chamber Foundation released a study on
Enterprising States
The non-partisan Tax Foundation recently released a study ranking
states' business tax climate, the
2013 State Business Tax Climate Index. This survey ranked Florida
fifth best in the nation.
Teen Essay Contest Deadline Coming Up
The deadline has been extended for the Florida Students
$ave Essay Contest till Friday, December 21, 2012.
Florida Students $ave aims to
motivate young people to develop personal financial skills and better
prepare them for college and the workplace, awarding hundreds of dollars
to Florida high school students who present the best research and
planning in response to scenarios that reflect on short- and long-term
financial goals.
The contest is open to all Florida high school students (public,
private, charter, virtual or homeschool) for the 2012-13 school year.
Students can submit essays of up to 1,200 words for a chance to win a
first-place prize of $250, while second- and third-place winners will
receive $150 and $50 respectively. Three winners will be chosen from
each of five regions across Florida: Northwest Florida, Jacksonville,
Orlando, Tampa and South Florida.
For more information about the essay contest, including a list of contest
rules, regions, awards and how to submit an essay, visit
www.MyFloridaCFO.com/YMM or call the Division of Consumer Services helpline
at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236).