Fire Facts
The National Fire Protection Association reported in their "1999 Fire Loss in the U.S." report that:
The U.S. has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world at 13.1 deaths per million population.
3570 Americans lost their lives and another 21,875 were injured as the result of fire.
Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
82 percent of all fire deaths occurred in residences.
1.8 million fires were reported. Many others went unreported, causing additional injuries and property loss.
Direct property loss due to fire was estimated at $10 billion.
An estimated 72,000 incendiary or suspicious structure fires resulted in 370 civilian deaths and
$1.3 billion in property damage.
FIRE SAFTY FAQ'S
How many smoke detectors should I have in my house?
At the very minimum you should have one smoke detector on each level of your home. These should be placed near the bedrooms or areas where your family members sleep. If you have a large home or if sleeping areas are not close together place a smoke detector near each bedroom.
How often should I change the batteries in my smoke detector?
Smoke detector batteries should be changed twice a year. The easiest way to remember this is to change your batteries when you change the time on your clocks every Spring and Fall. If you would like us to remind via e-mail when it is time to change your batteries, click here.
How do I know which smoke detector to buy?
Most any of the detectors you will find in home improvement or warehouse type stores will do the job fine. Like any thing else you buy - you get what you pay for. Read the labels and make sure they are installed properly and working. Also remember to look for a "UL" seal!
Do I need a Carbon Monoxide Detector in my home?
If you have a fireplace, any gas powered appliances (stove, water heater, clothes dryer, etc.), or use a space heater that is not electric then you need a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector. CO is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas and is a normal by-product of combustion. As you breathe CO, it takes up the spaces in your blood that normally carry Oxygen throughout your body. If you breathe enough CO you can become very sick or even worse, you could die.
What do I do if my CO Detector goes off?
CO detectors should be treated the same as smoke detectors. If they activate then there is a problem and the Fire Department should determine what the problem is. Call 911 if your detector activates, leave the house and close the door behind you. Do not air out the house. Fire department personnel will respond and determine what problem the is - even if it's just a false alarm.
Should I have a fire extinguisher in my house?
It is a good idea to have a fire extinguisher in your house if you know how to use one. A small dry powder (ABC) extinguisher can do a lot of good if you have a small fire. Remember to mount the extinguisher somewhere that is easily accessible and preferably near an exterior door.
We live in a two-story house; do we need an escape ladder?
Yes. If you or your children live on the second story of your home an escape ladder provides an excellent secondary escape path should the stairs be blocked by fire. As with all fire safety equipment you must practice with it or it will be of little use when the time comes to use it.
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