4 out of 5 U.S. fire deaths occur at home
If you have a reported fire in your home, you are more likely to die today than you were a few decades ago.
Today’s home fires burn faster than ever.
In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Knowing how to use that time wisely takes planning and practice.
National Fire Prevention Week, October 7-13
National Fire Prevention Week runs October 7-13, 2018, with the theme, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware — fire can happen anywhere.” As the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) works with local fire departments throughout North America to promote the campaign in their communities and reaches out to the public directly to encourage everyone to take action to be safe.
The NFPA statistics show that the number of U.S. home fires has been steadily declining over the past few decades. However, the death rate per 1,000 home fires that are reported to fire departments was 10% higher in 2016 than in 1980.
“These numbers show that while we’ve made significant progress in teaching people how to prevent fires from happening, there’s still much more work to do in terms of educating the public about how to protect themselves in the event of one,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “This is particularly critical given the increased speed at which today’s home fires grow and spread.”
Quickly & safely escape a fire
This year’s “Look. Listen. Learn.” campaign highlights three steps people can take to help quickly and safely escape a fire:
- Look for places fire could start.
- Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm.
- Learn 2 ways out of every room.
Carli also notes that although people feel safest in their home, it’s also the place people are at greatest risk to fire, with four out of five U.S. fire deaths occurring at home. That over-confidence contributes to a complacency toward home escape planning and practice.
While NFPA are focusing on home fires, these fire safety messages apply to virtually anywhere.
Look for available exits wherever you go
Situational awareness is a skill people need to use wherever they go. “No matter where you are, look for available exits. If the alarm system sounds, take it seriously and exit the building immediately.
Related:
It’s Fire Prevention Week. Here are 6 things you need to know