Fire Prevention Week 2019

10/8/2019 (Permalink)

This week in October is dedicated to Fire Prevention. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) works to educate the public on the importance of fire safety and how to prepare for a fire in your household.

Here are some facts about household fires that you may not be aware of.

• Roughly 1 of every 326 households per year has a reported home fire.
• Most reported home fires were considered small. 56% were confined to the object or origin, while the fire spread beyond the room of origin in only 35% of the reported fires.
• Last year there were 1,319,500 fires reported in the Us.
• These fires caused 3,400 civilian deaths, 10,600 civilian injuries and $23 billion in property damage
• a fire department responded to a fire every 24 seconds
• one structure fire was reported every 63 seconds
• one civilian fire death occurred every 2 hours and 34 minutes
• almost all homes have at least one smoke alarm, but three out of every five home deaths resulted from fired in homes with no fire alarms or nor working alarms.

The major causes of structure fires include:

1. cooking equipment
2. heating equipment
3. electrical distribution & lighting equipment
4. intentional
5. smoking materials
6. clothes dryer or washer
7. exposure to other fire
8. candles
9. fan or AC
10. playing with heat source

It's so important to not only be aware of the dangers and the occurrence of fires in the home, but its also crucial to prepare your home and develop an escape plan. SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico County is always ready to respond to emergency services 24/7.