Important Measures Can Be Taken to Help Prevent Some of the Most Common Types of Home Fires

FORT WORTH, Texas - April 25, 2013 - PRLog -- According to the NFPA “In 2011, U.S. fire departments responded to 370,000 home structure fires. These fires caused 13,910 civilian injuries, 2,520 civilian deaths, $6.9 billion in direct damage.”

The NFPA says that in order to protect yourself it is important to understand the basic characteristics of fire. “Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames.”

Fires escalate quickly. In less than 30 seconds a small flame can turn into a major out of control fire. Since fire quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness, waking up in a fire can cause disorientation, and makes it difficult to find doors or window exits.

Ready.gov, a government website that offers fire safety prevention tips, lists some other common causes of house fires. “Most home fires occur in the kitchen while cooking and are the leading cause of injuries from fire. Common causes of fires at night are carelessly discarded cigarettes, sparks from fireplaces without spark screens or glass doors, and heating appliances left too close to furniture or other combustibles.”  

Taking a look at fire prevention safety lists, and taking proper precautions are all helpful in preventing fire. Learning about fire, and teaching children about the safety and dangers of a fire is also important. Kids are naturally curious, and can often start fires without even meaning to. Parents should teach children about fire prevention and safety.

No one plans to have a fire, and taking the proper precautions to avoid having a fire is essential. However, it’s also important to have a fire escape plan in place in case of a fire does start. Involving children and all family members in fire and evacuation drills is one way to help ensure that they know what to do in case of a fire.

Homefiredrill.com reports that less than 20% of U.S households have a practiced home fire escape plan, even though over 80% of fires happen at home.  

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http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=953&itemID=...
http://www.homefiredrill.org/?p=families-need-home-drills...
http://www.ready.gov/fires