Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney is honoring 13 deputy fire marshals for their work.

Chaney, who is the state’s top fire marshal, said Tuesday that the 13 deputies investigated more than 300 arson cases and their work brought 126 arrests in Mississippi in 2008.

Chaney says people can help deter others from intentionally setting fires by having locks, alarms, monitoring equipment and sufficient lighting in and around buildings.

He says debris and other combustible materials should be cleared away from businesses and homes, and flammable items or chemicals should be stored safely.