Fire prevention week raises awareness, safety

National Fire Prevention Week begins Sunday, Oct. 5, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 11.

Begun in 1925, the goal of the week is to increase awareness of the dangers of fire and to educate the public on how to stay safe.

Consider these facts:

* More than 1.7 million fires strike homes, parks and businesses each year.

* The American Red Cross responds to a disaster every eight minutes and nearly all of these are home fires.

* According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are almost 365,000 residential fires reported in the U.S. every year. These fires cause more than $6 billion in property loss. While the frequency of fire deaths has steadily decreased over the past 10 years due to increased awareness and safety measures, more than 2,400 Americans still die every year in home fires.

* Half of all home fire deaths resulted from fires that were reported between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Only one-fourth of the home fires occur during these hours.

* January was the peak month for home fire deaths. February ranked second, and December was third.

* Smoking was the leading cause of home fire deaths overall. In December, January and February, smoking and heating equipment caused similar shares of fire deaths.

* Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries year-round. More fires occur in the kitchen than in any other room of the house. Risks include grease, toasters, toaster ovens and overloaded outlets and extension cords.

* Although children 5 and under make up about 9 percent of the country's population, they accounted for 17 percent of the home fire deaths, twice the national average. Adults 65 and older also face a risk twice the average, while people 85 and older have a risk that is almost four-and-a-half times more than average.

* Candles start fires in 15,260 homes every year. Four out of 10 candle fires start in the bedroom, with nearly half of the people killed by candle fires younger than 20. Candle fires are most common in December, when decorations ignite.

* Though nearly all of U.S. homes have smoke alarms, one in five homes has devices that don't work. Seventy percent of home fire deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms or without working smoke alarms.

There are a number of websites available for information, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, the U.S. Fire Administration, the U.S. National Fire Academy, the National Fire Prevention Agency, the National Association of Fire Marshals, the American Red Cross, and the National Volunteer Fire Council.

Members of our local fire departments will be making the rounds at civic clubs, schools and community organizations seeking to raise awareness and spread prevention tips.

Awareness, education, precautions and planning are all key factors in preventing fires. Installing, testing and maintaining smoke alarms, practicing home escape plans, and hunting for home hazards, can help reduce your risk.

Inspections are available through the city fire department. Additionally, as noted in the Daily Mail, firefighters are hosting a number of education and awareness events throughout the week. For more than 89 years, fire departments across the nation have observed Fire Prevention Week, making it the longest running public health and safety observance on record. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org