Fire Prevention

Safety tips & fact sheets

from the National Fire Protection Agency

			Appliances Dryers and washing machines, portable generators.					Home fire sprinklers Automatic fire sprinkler systems help save lives.

			Arson In 2005, an estimated 323,900 intentional fires were reported to U.S. fire departments.					Lightning Fires started by lightning peak in the summer months and in the late afternoon and early evening.

			Candles The top five days for home candle fires are Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and Halloween.					Natural disasters Every year, natural disasters disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and their families.

			Carbon monoxide Be aware of the hazards of this "silent killer."					Nightclubs/assembly occupancies NFPA code provisions mandate that a considerable number of safety systems and features be present in order to keep everyone safe.

			Children and fire Children playing with fire cause hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries each year.					Nursing homes What should you consider when either choosing or checking on someone already in a nursing home.

			Cooking Includes general cooking safety info, as well as tips for microwaves, cooking oil and turkey fryers.					Older adults At age 65, people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large.

			Electrical safety Safety in the home and with circuit interrupters					Other occupancies High-rises, hotels/motels, nightclubs, nursing homes, and more

			Emergency preparedness Be prepared: disasters can occur suddenly and without warning.					People with disabilities Ensure that people with disabilities are included in safety planning.

			Escape planning Learn the steps to create and practice a home fire escape plan.					Seasonal safety Fireworks, Christmas trees, grilling, Halloween safety, and more.

			Fire extinguishers Fire extinguishers are one element of a fire response plan, but the primary element is safe escape.					Smoke alarms Working smoke alarms are essential in every household.

			Fireworks Each July Fourth, thousands of people are injured while using consumer fireworks.					Smoking material-related fires Smoking materials (i.e., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States.

			Gas, propane, other fuels Gasoline at home, propane, service station safety, and more					Unintentional injuries In the U.S., unintentional injuries are more fatal to children than drugs and disease combined.

			Heating The peak months for home heating fires are December, January and February.					Vehicle fires In 2004, U.S. fire departments responded to 266,500 vehicle fires.

			High-rise buildings How do you evacuate these multiple-floor buildings safely?					Wildland fires Learn to protect your family and community from wildland fires

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