Importance of fire prevention

​In a fire, mere seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragedy. Fire safety education isn’t just for school children. Teenagers, adults, and the elderly are also at risk in fires, making it important for every member of the community to take some time to make sure they understand how to stay safe in case of a fire.

Fire Facts

• U.S. fire departments respond to an average of one home fire every 86 seconds.
• Between 2011 and 2015, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 358,500 home structure fires per year. These fires caused 12,300 civilian injuries, 2,510 civilian deaths, and $6.7 billion in direct damage.
• On average, seven people per day die in U.S. home fires.
• Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries.
• For decades, smoking has been the leading cause of home-fire deaths.
• Heating equipment was involved in one in every five home-fire deaths.