Fires of all types occur on a daily basis across the USA, especially during the winter months. so it’s no surprise that fire and fear are closely linked. The best weapon against fires is prevention!
We’ve compiled some information and statistics to help you practice effective fire prevention habits, understand the causes of fire, learn more about fire protection, and minimize your fear with facts.
Fire kills almost 4000 Americans each year, more than all natural disasters combined.
About one home fire is reported about every minute and a half each year.
Smoke detectors save lives, minimize damage and limit injuries. About 60% of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke detectors.
Exercise extra caution in the kitchen. Cooking and kitchen fires are the leading cause of home fires.
Electric stoves are more likely to cause kitchen fires than gas stoves.
When was the last time you had a professional inspection of your heating system? Faulty heating equipment is the next leading cause of home fires.
What about those extension cords? Are you overloading electrical outlets? Electrical related fires are next in line behind kitchen and heating equipment home fires.
Check your clothes dryer vents. Over 3000 dryer related fires occur each year in homes and apartments.
What about fire and life safety on the road? It’s a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher in your vehicle. Approximately 200,000 vehicle related fires occur each year. That’s about one every three minutes.
Celebrate your holidays safely. Fires caused by candles are most common on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
What about fireworks? They are a leading cause of fire and fire related injuries on special holidays. Be careful.
Do you practice fire and life safety outdoors during routine and recreational activities? Annually, over 600,000 fires occur outdoors away from the home.
Approximately 90% of all wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans.
Children playing with fire cause hundreds of deaths each year Teach fire protection and prevention. Keep them away from matches, lighters and flammable liquids!
Stop smoking! If you choose to smoke be extra careful. Careless smokers are a leading cause of fires in the home and workplace.
Cooking related fires are the most common type of fire related incidents at work. Most workplace fires occur between noon and 2PM.
Over 25% of workplace related fires can be linked to electrical malfunctions.
Is your sprinkler system OK? Flammable and combustible materials are common in many workplaces. They are also common causes of fire.
The total cost of fires in the U.S. is estimated to be between 11 and 12 billion dollars annually.
