While the United States of America is one of the most industrialized nations in the world, it still has one of the highest fire death rates with more than 4,500 people dying each year and another 29,000 injured as a result of fires. These totals are more than all natural disasters combined, including floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. More than 2 million fires are reported each year in the United States with an estimated $8.5 billion direct property loss.

Senior citizens and children under 5 years of age are at the highest risk for dying in a fire. Nearly 80 percent of all fatal fires occur in the home. Of those, approximately 67 percent occur in single-family homes and duplexes. Based upon statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, 29 percent of all fires occur in the kitchen, 13 percent in the bedroom, 8 percent in the living room / den / chimney and the remaining 4 percent in the laundry area. Careless smoking is the leading cause of all fires followed by arson, heating and cooking.

- Installing and maintaining a working smoke detector on each level of your home and outside of sleeping areas, double a person’s chance of surviving a fire.

- Matches, lighters and other heat sources are for adults only. Parents: keep these items away from children. Kids: if you find these items, do not play with them. Go tell an adult.

- Practice Exit Drills in the Home (E.D.I.T.H.). Know at least two ways out of every room in your house/apartment and have a meeting place outside. Never go back in once you have made it out.

- If your clothes catch on fire, you can get burned. Never run, but instead STOP, DROP and ROLL. First stop, as running makes the fire burn faster. Second, drop to the ground and cover your face with your hands. Third, roll back and forth to put out the flames.

For more fire safety tips, contact us at (708) 534-4825.

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