NPR aired this documentary about the cumulative effects of fire and fire safety on April 6 and 11, 1981. In 1981 it won an Ohio State ("Achievement of Merit") Award, the citation of which reads: 'Damage to possessions or even death by fire is not in the forefront of public attention, especially if we have never been a victim. However, WHA Radio created a real sense of fire, which is difficult to do aurally. The technical excellence and the exceptional research resulted in a documentary that made the statistics meaningful. There was an impressive mix of expert views and opinion, and the on-location recordings were integrated into the program with great skill. "America on Fire" was successful in making you almost feel as though you were at the scene of a real fire!'
