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Fire Prevention and Facts

Facts: Fires in the Home

  • In 2007, U.S. fire departments responded to 399,000 home fires. These fires killed almost 2,900 people. Eighty-four percent of all fire deaths resulted from home fires.
  • Someone was injured in a home fire every 39 minutes and roughly eight people died in home fires every day during 2007.
  • A fire department responded to a home fire every 79 seconds.
  • Sixty-three percent of reported home fire deaths happened in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
  • About 1/3 of home fires and deaths happened in the months of December, January and February.
  • Cooking continued to be the leading cause of home fires and injuries followed by heating, electrical and intentional fires.
  • Smoking materials caused one of every four home fire deaths.
  • The kitchen is the leading area of origin for home fires. However, bedrooms and living/family rooms are the leading areas of origin for home fire deaths.

Fire Prevention Interventions:

  • Install smoke alarms (one in each sleeping room)
  • Eliminate electrical hazards
  • Install ABC fire extinguisher
  • Eliminate clutter as needed
  • Clear stairways of clutter
  • Eliminate combustible materials particularly in the basement
  • Develop fire escape plan
  • Ensure that exit doors and security hardware are working
  • Clean or install new kitchen range hood
  • Replace major appliances that are not fully functional
  • Ensure heating system has been inspected within the last year
  • Install “safe-T-elements” on electric stoves
  • Clean dryer vent hoses or replace with metallic hoses