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Missouri Division of Fire Safety

The Basics. In the United States, a home fire is reported to a fire department roughly every 75 seconds.In 2006, fire departments responded to 396,000 home fires. These fires caused 2,580 civilian deaths, 12,500 civilian injuries and $6.8 billion in direct damage. Eighty percent of all U.S. fire deaths occur in the home..

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Missouri Division of Fire Safety

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    1. Missouri Division of Fire Safety

    2. The Basics In the United States, a home fire is reported to a fire department roughly every 75 seconds. In 2006, fire departments responded to 396,000 home fires. These fires caused 2,580 civilian deaths, 12,500 civilian injuries and $6.8 billion in direct damage. Eighty percent of all U.S. fire deaths occur in the home.

    3. The Basics On the average, someone is killed in a home fire in the United States every 3 hours. December and January were the peak months for reported home fires and home fire deaths. Home fires, fire deaths and fire injuries are more common on Saturday and Sunday. Smoke alarms are the most effective early warning device available. Having a smoke alarm in your home cuts your chance of dying in a fire nearly in half! 

    4. Smoke Detectors A 2004 survey found that 96% of all households had at least one smoke detector. The death rate per 100 reported fires is twice as high in homes without working smoke alarms (1.13) compared to homes with working smoke alarms (0.55).

    5. Smoke Detectors

    6. Kitchen Safety Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires. Three in 10 reported home fires start in the kitchen—more than any other place in the home. Frying is the leading type of activity associated with cooking fires. More than half of all cooking fire injuries occurred when people tried to fight the fire themselves. 

    7. Kitchen Safety Two out of three home cooking fires started with the range or stove. Electric ranges or stoves have a higher risk of fires, injuries and property damage, compared to gas ranges or stoves, but gas ranges or stoves have a higher risk of fire deaths. Home fires peak around the dinner hour between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM.

    8. Cooking Safety Advice Never leave food cooking unattended Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles Keep a three-foot "kid-free zone" around the stove Turn pot handles inward Wear short, close fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking Never use a wet oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger if the moisture in the mitt is heated

    9. Heating Safety In 2003, heating equipment was involved in more than 53,000 home fires, resulting in 260 deaths, 1,260 injuries, and $494 million in direct property damage. Heating equipment fires accounted for 16% of all reported home fires (second behind cooking) and 11% of home fire deaths. The peak months for home heating fires are December, January and February.

    10. Heating Safety Space heaters were involved in 26% of the home heating fires but 73% of the deaths. Fireplaces or chimneys rank first in the number of fires among types of heating equipment. Most of these were caused by creosote build-up.

    11. Heating Safety Advice Space heaters need space, at least three feet away from anything that can burn Portable space heaters should be turned off every time you leave the room or go to sleep  Have a sturdy screen on your fireplace, a metal screen or built-in glass doors

    12. Electrical Safety Between 1999-2003, electrical distribution and lighting equipment were involved in an estimated 19,100 home structure fires per year.  These fires resulted in 140 civilian deaths, 610 civilian injuries and an estimated $349 million in direct property damage per year. Extension cord fires outnumbered fires beginning with attached power cords by more than two-to-one.

    13. Electrical Safety Fixed wiring causes 1/3 of home electrical distribution fires. Cords and plugs cause 1/6 of home electrical fires and 1/3 of related deaths. In some cases, people can check and fix them, if necessary, without a licensed electrician.

    14. Electrical Safety Each year, electrical shock (not resulting in a fire) causes hundreds of burn deaths and thousands of burn injuries. Nearly 2/3 of electrical burn injuries to children age 12 and under are associated with household electrical cords and extension cords.

    15. Electrical Safety Advice Replace or repair any electrical device with a loose or frayed cord Avoid using extension cords and never run them across doorways or under carpets In homes with small children, electrical outlets should have plastic safety covers

    16. Electrical Safety Advice Avoid the use of "cube taps" and other devices that allow the connection of multiple appliances into a single receptacle. Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn

    17. Candles Candle fires account for an estimated 4% of all reported home fires. During 2000-2004, an estimated 16,400 home structure fires were started by candles. These fires resulted in 200 civilian deaths, 1,680 civilian injuries and direct property loss of $450 million. 40% of home candle fires begin in the bedroom, resulting in 35% of candle related fire deaths. More than half of all candle fires started from candles left too close to combustible materials.

    18. Candles Lack of electrical power was a factor in 1/3 of fatal candle fires. Falling asleep was a factor in 12% of candle fires and 25% of the candle fire deaths. Fourteen percent of home candle fires in December, almost twice the monthly average. (candle fires often involve combustible seasonal decorations not present at other times of the year.)

    19. Smoking Materials Smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths and the third leading cause of civilian fire injuries in the U.S. In 2003, smoking materials started an estimated 25,600 home fires in the U.S.  These fires caused 760 civilian deaths and 1,520 civilian injuries.

    20. Smoking Materials The most common material first ignited in smoking-material fire deaths were mattresses/bedding, upholstered furniture, and floor coverings . Older adults are the highest risk of death or injury from smoking-material fires (even though they are less likely to smoke than younger adults).

    21. Residential Sprinklers Properly installed and maintained, automatic fire sprinkler systems save lives. When sprinklers are present, the chances of dying in a fire are reduced by one-half to three-fourths compared to fires where sprinklers are not present.

    22. Safety Advice Install at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and in all sleeping areas Smoke alarms should be tested once a month and batteries replaced once a year or when the alarm beeps, warning that the battery is low. Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.

    23. Safety Advice Every household should develop and practice a home fire escape plan that includes two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place.

    24. Prepare Your Home Fire Escape Plan Have a written plan Know how to escape Have more than 1 way out Where to meet Where to call 911 from (Not from inside the house on fire)

    25. Prevent Home Fires!

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