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Fire Facts Page 2

Fire Safety Facts:  Page 1

 

Main types of fire (2007)

Outside Fires - 44%

Residential / Non-Residential - 34%

 

Where Deaths occured (2007)

Residential Property - 76%

Vehicles - 17%

Commercial / Public Property - 4%

Outside & Misc. - 3%

 

Where Injury occured (2007)

Residential - 76%

Commercial / Public Property - 9%

Outside & Misc. - 8%

Vehicles - 7%

 

Top 5 States - Fire Departments w/Fire incidents (as of 2007)

2,435 - Texas

2,389 - Pennsylvania

1,995 - New York

1,287 - North Carolina

1,240 - Illinois

 

 

Since 1970 when battery-powered smoke alarms were first introduced, smoke alarms have become a familiar presence in American homes. By 2000, they were installed in nearly 94% of US households. *

 

Over a 3-day period around Halloween, a 3-year average of 15,500 fires caused $92 million in property loss, 45 deaths, and 175 injuries. *

 

Many Halloween fires, especially those in vacant or abandoned buildings, are the result of arson. Alcohol or drugs were a factor in 20% of these fires. *

 

Open flame fires increases by 50% over the Halloween period, largely due to the increased use of candles. *

 

Thanksgiving Day fires in residential structures cause more property damage and claim more lives than residential structure fires on other days. Surprisingly, fire injuries in residences decrease on Thanksgiving Day. ****

 

Cooking is by far the leading cause of residential structure fires on Thanksgiving Day (42%), nearly double that of a normal day. ****

 

Residential building cooking fires occurred mainly in the evening hours from 4 to 9 PM, peaking from 5 to 8 PM, accounting for 26% of the fires. *

 

Oil, fat and grease (51%) were the leading types of material ignited in nonconfined cooking fires in residential buildings. **

 

An estimated 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential buildings are reported to the US fire departments each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. **

 

Failure to clean (34%) was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings. **

 

Dust, fiber, and lint (28%) and clothing not on a person (27%) were, by far, the leading items first ignited in clothes dryer fires in residential buildings. **

 

An estimated 7,600 smoking-related fires in residential buildings occur each year in the US. **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 States of Civilian Deaths (2006)

298 - California

292 - Texas

246 - Pennsylvania

199 - New York

184 - Ohio

 

Top 3 causes of Residential Fires (2007)

Cooking - 33%

Unknown - 18%

Heating - 11%

 

Top 3 causes of fatal residential fires(2007)

Unknown - 44%

Smoking - 10%

Unintentional/Careless - 8%

 

Totals From 2003 through 2007

Fires - 7,935,000

Deaths - 18,175

Injuries - 88,000

Dollar Loss - $58.7 Billion

 

 

From December 24th through the 26th, fire deaths, injuries, and dollar loss increase an average of 50%, 61% and 43%, respectively. *

 

As Christmas trees, which are in 1/3 of all households, dry out, the risk of fire increases. *

 

The use of candles contributes to the increase in the incidence of holiday fires. *

 

Cooking fires increase on Christmas Eve and Day, but children playing with fire and arson fires decrease. *

 

The leading factor in the ignition of residential cooking fires in food left unattended. ****

 

Each year, nearly 4,300 fires in the US occur on Thanksgiving Day causing 15 fatalities, about 50 injuries, and nearly $27 million in property damage. ****

 

On average, an estimated 164,500 cooking fires in residential buildings occur each year in the US. **

 

86% of highway vehicle fires occurred in passenger vehicles. **

 

67% of the nonconfined residential building smoking-related fires occurred because of abandoned or discarded smoking materials or products, primarily cigarettes. **

 

The bedroom was the leading area of fire origin for nonconfined residential building smoking-related fires at 24%. **

 

Approximately 1 in 7 fires responded to by fire departments across the nation is a highway vehicle fire. This does not include the tens of thousands of fire department responses to highway vehicle accident sites. **

 

The leading factor contributing to the ignition of highway vehicle fires was mechanical failure at 44%. **

 

Older American Indians/Alaska Natives and African-Americans were at much greater risk of dying in a fire than their Asian/Pacific Islander or white fellow citizens. Older Asian/Pacific Islanders had 20% less risk than the general population. ***

 

Older males were 62% more likely to die in fires than older females. ***

 

* US Fire Administratiaon - Dec. 2001   ** FEMA 2008-2010

*** FEMA 2010  **** US Fire Administration - Nov. 2002

 

 

This is the U.S. Fire Administration Topical Fire Research Series document. It is for Smoke Alarms Performance

in Residential Structure Fires. Click here to access.

 

This is the U.S. Fire Administration - Fire in the U.S. 2003-2007. Click here to access.

 

What else can you do to make your family safe?

1. Change smoke / carbon monoxide detector batteries each time you celebrate a birthday in your household (or every 6 months - which every comes first). You should have at least 1 smoke detector on every floor of your home. If possible, place a detector outside each bedroom.

2. Make sure all family members know how to call for help. In our area - call 9-1-1

3. Ensure you have working fire extinguishers in key rooms within the dwelling - Kitchen, Laundry Room, Garage, Basement

4. DO NOT overload electrical outlets. Use surge protectors to divide / manage electrical appliances

5. Keep matches and smoking accessories OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN

Do you have any other good ideas you would like to share on Fire Safety? If so, send them to us HERE. You can NEVER be too safe!

 

 

 

 

 

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