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OCTOBER 8 - 14, 2006
PREVENTING COOKING FIRES
 The leading causes of home fires are cooking (which lead to the most fires and the most injuries), smoking (which leads to the most deaths), heating, electrical equipment, and candles.
In 2004, U.S. fire departments responded to more than 1.5 million fires-an average of 1 reported fire every 20 seconds.
In 2004, fire killed almost 3,900 people-82% of those people died in home fires, 14% in vehicle fires.
Fires killed an average of 11 people every day in 2004.
In 2004, almost 18,000 fire injuries (not including fire fighter injuries) were reported to U.S. fire department.
Fire Prevention Week marks the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of October 8-9, 1871. The historic blaze raged for several days and killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings.
Each October, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sponsors a fire prevention campaign. The theme for Fire Prevention Week 2006 focuses on the leading cause of home fires and injuries-cooking.
COOKING IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF HOME FIRES AND INJURIES
Cooking equipment is involved in more than 100,000 reported home fires each year, and most of those involve the kitchen stovetop. Most cooking fires occur because of unattended cooking.
Safety Tips
Pay attention to your cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.
If you must leave the room-even for a short period of time turn off the stove.
When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.
If you have young children, use the stove's back burners whenever possible.
Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.
When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves.
Allow food cooked in a microwave oven to cool for a minute or more before you remove it from the oven and use an oven mitt.
Open microwaved food slowly. Hot steam escaping from the container can cause painful burns. Let food cool before eating.
Electrical
In 1999-2002, electrical equipment accounted for 1 out of 11 reported home fires and 1 out of 13 home fire deaths. Electrical equipment includes a building's electrical system as well as light fixtures, lamps, light bulbs, cords, plugs, and electrical appliances and devices.
Safety Tips:
Replace or repair loose or frayed cords on all electrical devices.
Don't overload outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.
Don't run extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
In homes with small children use plastic safety covers on unused electrical outlets.
Candles
A candle is an open flame. It can easily ignite any combustible nearby. During 2002, an estimated 18,000 home fires started by candles were reported to public fire departments.
Safety Tips:
Extinguish candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
Use flashlights, not lit candles, during power outages.
Keep candles at least 1 foot away from things that can burn, like curtains, paper, and bedding.
Smoking
Smoking materials (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States. The most common thing first ignited in home smoking fires is trash, followed by mattresses, bedding, and upholstered furniture.
Safety Tips:
Designate a smoking area outside the home.
Provide smokers with deep, sturdy ashtrays.
Keep smoking materials away from anything that can burn, like mattresses, bedding, and upholstered furniture.
Fire-Safe Cigarettes
Cigarettes are the leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States, killing 700 to 900 people, smokers and nonsmokers alike, every year. In addition, thousands of people suffer burn and lung injuries, and property losses total millions of dollars.
There is a proven, practical, and effective way to greatly reduce the risk of cigarette-ignited fires. Fire safe cigarettes are made with less porous paper and thin bands that act as "speed bumps' to slow down the burning. These cigarettes will help to prevent tens of thousands of cigarette-ignited fires each year. The use of fire-safe cigarettes has already been mandated in New York, California, Vermont, and all of Canada.
Visit www.firesafecigarettes.org for more information on this important topic.
Heating
Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January, and February.
Safety Tips:
Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from people and from anything that can burn, such as curtains and bedding.
Turn space heaters off when you go to bed or leave the home.
Basic Protection
Plan two ways out of each room. One way out would be the door and the second way may be a window.
Choose an outside meeting place like a tree, streetlight, or neighbor's home where everyone will meet.
Install smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area. For the best protection, install interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom and throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
Although this approach is ideal for all homes, existing homes should have smoke alarms at least on every level and outside each sleeping area.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
FACTS
Electric stoves have a higher risk of fires, injuries, and property damage than gas stoves. However, gas stoves have a higher risk of fire deaths.
In 1950, many more homes cooked with gas than electricity. By the end of the 20th century, more households cooked on electric stoves. The primary cause of fires with either kind of stove is leaving cooking unattended.
Two-thirds of stove fires start during the first 15 minutes of cooking.
Many fire extinguishers discharge completely in 8 to 12 seconds.
Conventional Smoke Alarms
Replace the batteries in conventional smoke alarms at least once a year or whenever the low-battery indicator sounds or "chirps". Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
10-Year Lithium Battery Smoke Alarms
Test smoke alarms with long-life lithium batteries at least once a month. Lithium batteries can last up to 10 years, but they cannot be replaced. Replace the smoke alarms every 10 years or whenever the low-battery indicator sounds or "chirps".
Residential Sprinklers
Consider installing an automatic sprinkler system in your home. Sprinkler systems are set off by high heat, not cooking fumes, and spray water only on the area immediately below them.
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