2010 Fire Loss

*statics are from the current 2010 Fire Experience compiled by the NFPA. For a complete review on Fire Loss in the United States, visit www.nfpa.org/fireloss

Every  24 seconds a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the United States. A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one, every 65 seconds and a residential fire occurs every 82 seconds. In 2010, public fire departments responded to 1,331,500 fires in the United States. Of which, 482,000 were structure fires. 79% of these fires were residential. Property loss for the year 2010, approached $11.6 billion for structure fires and $7.1 billion occurred to residential property alone. 

Unfortunately, besides property damage, 3120 civilian deaths were reported due to structure fires. With 2665 people killed in residential property. This is an increase of 3.7% from 2009. This is 85% of the all deaths reported, and they occurred in the home.

Cooking equipment is still the leading cause of reported home fires and civilian home fire injuries. Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires. Two of every five home fires reported, started in the kitchen or cooking area.

More fire awareness initiatives, aimed at the home, remains the key to any reduction in the overall fire death toll in the United States. Here are some strategies that need to be considered.

We need more wide spread public safety education on fire prevention and     avoidance of personal injury and possible death due to fires

Improve usage and maintenance of smoke detectors

Aggressively pursue wider use of residential sprinklers

Need further advancements in fire safe products such as, home furniture and upholstery products that are more resistant to cigarette ignitions

We must continue to address the special fire safety needs of the high risk groups such as the very young, older adults, and those with physical challenges.