The Perry Twp Fire Dept will be debuting our new Fire Safety Smoke House, Saturday April 13th at 11am. We will have it set up at the site of our future fire station, witch is located at 4801 Broadway ave. This site also contains the baseball fields known as Kuester Field, which we lease to West Side Independent League teams for $1.00 a year. They will be having opening day ceremonies at this time as well.

This safety house is a blow up house that is used to teach children fire safety. It allows children to be in a safe setting, using theater smoke (fog machine smoke), to give them a real world feel to exiting a smoke filled house.

Also, several of our members have built a unit used to safely dismantle METH labs. They will have this unit, the NUL Unit, on display as well. http://www.nulunit.com/

*UPDATE: Evansville Police have arrested 40 year old Donald Ray Hutchison on several charges stemming from a trailer fire at 1913 Rhode Island Dr on February 27th.  Officers were at the address for a standby for property run when Hutchison set the trailer on fire. Officer Josh Doane and Officer Zach Dickason entered the burning trailer and removed Hutchison after a struggle. Hutchison was arrested and charged with Arson, Criminal Recklessness, and Resisting Law Enforcement.


*ORIGINAL POST: Two Evansville Police Officers were assaulted while trying to remove a man from his burning trailer this afternoon (Weds. 02/27). The man’s identity is not being released at this time because he has not been charged with a crime at the time of this release. 

Officers were dispatched to 1913 Rhode Island to do a standby while a female removed some belongings. After the officers exited the trailer, the man locked the door. 

When the officers were outside, the female told them the man had put lighter fluid on the couch and she was worried he might try to hurt himself. The officers then tried to talk to him again to make sure he was not going to harm himself. When the officers got to the front door, they saw smoke in the trailer. He would not come to the door so the officers were forced to kick the door in to get in. When the officers entered the trailer, they saw several fires in the front room. The man had gone to a back room and was found lying on the floor. 

When the officers tried to remove him from the burning trailer, he began assaulting them. The officers were able to get him under control despite his resistance and the growing fire around them. 

The officers were able to get him out of the trailer safely. The man was treated at the scene for injuries he received during the struggle. One of the officers was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. 

Any charges will be determined pending a mental health evaluation. 

Involved Officers: 
Zach Dickason 
Josh Doane 


SOURCE: Evansville Police Department - Nixle

FIRE SAFETY LESSON: CARBON MONOXIDE 
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, deadly gas. It can kill you before you know it because you can't see it, taste it or smell it. At lower levels of exposure, it can cause health problems. Some people may be more vulnerable to CO poisoning such as fetuses, infants, children, senior citizens and those with heart or lung problems. When CO is breathed in by an individual, it accumulates in the blood and forms a toxic compound known as carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the bloodstream to cells and tissues. Carbon monoxide attaches itself to hemoglobin and displaces the oxygen that the body organs need. 

Symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells, confusion and irritability. Later stages of CO poisoning can cause vomiting, loss of consciousness and eventually brain damage or death.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends installing at least one carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm near the bedrooms. If a home has more than one story, a detector should be placed on each story.

The following is a checklist for where to look for problem sources of CO in the home:

• A forced air furnace is frequently the source of leaks and should be carefully inspected.
• Measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in the flue gases.
• Check furnace connections to flue pipes and venting systems to the outside of the home for signs of corrosion, rust gaps, holes.
• Check furnace filters and filtering systems for dirt and blockage.
• Check forced air fans for proper installation and to assure correct air flow of flue gases.
• Improper furnace blower installation can result in carbon monoxide build-up because toxic gas is blown into rather than out of the house.
• Check the combustion chamber and internal heat exchanger for cracks, holes, metal fatigue or corrosion. Be sure they are clean and free of debris.
• Check burners and ignition system. A flame that is mostly yellow in color in natural gas fired furnaces is often a sign that the fuel is not burning completely and higher levels of carbon monoxide are being released. Oil furnaces with similar problems can give off an oily odor. Remember you can't smell carbon monoxide.
• Check all venting systems to the outside including flues and chimneys for cracks, corrosion, holes, debris, blockages. Animals and birds can build nests in chimneys preventing gases from escaping.
• Check all other appliances in the home that use flammable fuels such as natural gas, oil, propane, wood or kerosene. Appliances include water heaters, clothes dryers, kitchen ranges, ovens or cook tops: wood burning stoves, gas refrigerators.
• Pilot lights can be a source of carbon monoxide because the by-products of combustion are released inside the home rather than vented outside.
• Be sure space heaters are vented properly. Unvented space heaters that use a flammable fuel such as kerosene can release carbon monoxide into the home.
• Barbecue grills should never be operated indoors under any circumstances nor should stove tops or ovens that operate on flammable fuels be used to heat a residence.
• Check for closed, blocked or bent flues, soot and debris.
• Check the clothes dryer vent opening outside the house for lint.

Info from www.phoenix.gov 

From the Evansville Fire Department - January 8, 2013:
This morning the Evansville Fire Department responded to an apartment fire at 4985 E. Sycamore Street on Evansville’s eastside. The apartment is 1 of 4 units contained within the building. The fire damage was contained to one apartment while the apartment below had very minor water damage. The other 2 apartments in the structure had very little, if any, damage. The first fire units on scene arrived quickly and contained the fire to the utility closet. Fire Investigator Jennifer Hunt determined the fire cause to be accidental due to combustible materials being too close to the burner area of the furnace.

District Chief Greg Main called for a 2nd Alarm because it was an apartment complex. As soon as the fire was reported extinguished, the extra personnel and equipment were returned to their stations.

The couple who lived in the apartment was home at the time of the fire and got out without injury. Fairmont Apartments has offered the couple another apartment until the damage can be repaired.

Many times the community only gets to see members of Public Safety when they are responding to an emergency. The Evansville Fire Department and other Public Safety agencies want to showcase their equipment and services without the dangers and the situation of an actual emergency. 

On Sunday October 21st, from noon to 4PM, many of Evansville’s Public Safety providers will have demonstrations and displays so the community can see how well these agencies are prepared when the need arises. 

The Evansville Fire Department will include displays on Firefighting, Fire Prevention, Investigation, Disaster Preparedness, Vehicle Extrication, Hazmat, Dive Rescue, Rope Rescue and Confined Space Rescue. 

Other agencies also participating in the Fair; Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, EMA, AMR, Deaconess Hospital, Red Cross, Safe Kids of Vanderburgh/Warrick Counties, the Mayor’s No Meth Task Force and Ohio Valley Search and Rescue. 

There will be a Kids Combat Challenge Course set up to inspire our next generation of Firefighters. Car Seat Safety and Don’t Talk/Text & Drive information will be available. Come watch Mayor Winnecke and Police Chief Bolin wash a Fire Truck to “payoff” on the 2012 Guns & Hoses wager. 

Food and beverages will be served by Firefighter’s Local 357. The Fair will be at EFD’s Administration Building, 550 SE 8th Street. 

Unfortunately, even when every safety and prevention rule is followed, fires will still happen. You can greatly reduce the risk of a fire by following prevention and safety tips, but you cannot eliminate it. If you and your family ever become a victim of a fire, what is next? Where do you turn? What do you do? 

Recovering from a fire can be a physically and mentally draining process. When fire strikes, lives are suddenly turned around. Often, the hardest part is knowing where to begin and who to contact. The U.S. Fire Administration has gathered the following information to assist you in this time of need. Action on some of the suggestions will need to be taken immediately. Some actions may be needed in the future while others will be on going. The purpose of this information is to give you the assistance needed to assist you as you begin rebuilding your life.
Download:

• After the Fire: Returning to Normal (PDF, 406 Kb)
  This booklet provides information on recovering from a fire, including what to do during the first 24 hours, insurance considerations, valuing your property, replacement of valuable documents, salvage hints, fire department operations, and more.
• After the Fire: Returning to Normal (Spanish) (353 Kb)

Contact your insurance company or agent right away.Ask your agent:

• What to do about the immediate needs of your home. This includes pumping out water and covering doors, windows, and other openings.
• What you should do first. Some companies may ask you to make a list of everything that was damaged by the fire. They will ask you to describe these in detail and say how much you paid for the items.

Be careful when you return home.If your home had a home fire sprinkler system, you will find little damage from flames, heat, smoke, and water. If not, and you plan to rebuild your home, now is the time to think about installing sprinklers into your home! Talk with the owner about it if you are a renter. You can find more information at the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition’s website: www.hfsc.org


Do not enter a damaged home or apartment unless the fire department says it is safe to go in! 
Fires can start again even if they appear to be out.

• Watch for damage caused by the fire. Roofs and floors may be damaged and could fall down.
• The fire department will make sure that the utility services (water, electricity, and gas) are safe to use. If they are not safe, firefighters will disconnect them before they leave the site. Do not try to turn them back on yourself.
• Soot and dirty water left behind may contain things that could make you sick. Do not eat, drink, or breathe in anything that has been near the fire’s flames, smoke, soot, or water used to put the fire out.

Cleaning and restoring personal items.
There are companies that are experts in cleaning and/or restoring your personal items. Whether you or your insurer buys this type of service, be clear on who will pay for it. Be sure to ask for an estimate of cost for the work and agree to it in writing. Ask your insurance company for names of companies you can trust to do a good job at a fair price. These companies provide services that include some or all of the following:

• securing your home against more damage;
• estimating damage;
• repairing damage;
• estimating the cost to repair or renew items of personal property;
• storing household items;
• hiring cleaning or repair subcontractors; and
• storing repaired items until needed.

Organizing finances and replacing vital documents.

• Get in touch with your landlord or mortgage lender as soon as possible.
• Contact your credit card company to report credit cards lost in the fire and request replacements.
• Save all receipts for any money you spend. These receipts are important in showing the insurance company what money you have spent concerning your fire loss. This will also help prove you bought things you may want to claim on your income tax forms.
• How to replace vital documents (for example, bank records, driver's license, passport, Social Security card, tax returns)
• How to replace U.S. currency
• How to replace U.S. savings bonds

After a Home Fire Checklist (print friendly version contained in booklet)

• Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the Red Cross. They will help you find a place to stay for awhile and find food, medicines, and other important things.
• If you have insurance, contact your insurance company. Ask what you should do to keep your home safe until it is repaired. Find out how they want you to make a list of things that were lost or damaged in the fire. Ask who you should talk to about cleaning up the mess. If you are not insured, try contacting community groups for aid and assistance.
• Check with the fire department to make sure your home is safe to enter. Be very careful when you go inside. Floors and walls may not be as safe as they look.
• The fire department will tell you if your utilities (water, electricity, and gas) are safe to use. If not, they will shut these off before they leave. DO NOT try to turn them back on by yourself. This could be very dangerous.
• Contact your landlord or mortgage company about the fire.
• Try to find valuable documents and records. See the information in this brochure about how to get new copies if you need them.
• If you leave your home, call the local police department to let them know the site will be vacant.
• Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and to prove any losses claimed on your income tax.
• Check with an accountant or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about special benefits for people recovering from fire loss.

Frequently asked questions about fire department actions

• Q. Why did they break windows and cut holes in the roof?
• A. As a fire burns, it moves up and down and across, growing very fast. Breaking windows and cutting holes in the roof is called ventilation. This slows the fire’s growth. It helps get rid of dark smoke that makes it hard for firefighters to see where they are going. It helps them fight the fire more quickly. In the end, ventilation can help save lives and property.


• Q. Why do firefighters cut holes in walls?
• A. This is done so that the fire department is sure that the fire is completely out and that there is no fire left inside the walls or in other hidden places.


• Q. How can I get a copy of the fire report?
• A. In most areas, a fire report is a public document. Ask for it at the fire department or fire marshal’s office. The fire report will help you with information that you

SOURCE: www.usfa.fema.gov

Why should I have a working smoke alarm? 
A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you’re awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.


What types of smoke alarms are available?
There are many different brands of smoke alarms available on the market, but they fall under two basic types: ionization and photoelectric. It cannot be stated definitively that one is better than the other in every fire situation that could arise in a residence. Because both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms are better at detecting distinctly different, yet potentially fatal fires, and because no one can predict what type of fire might start in a home, the USFA recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with: 

• Both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR
• dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors

In addition to the basic types of alarms, there are alarms made to meet the needs of people with hearing disabilities. These alarms may use strobe lights that flash and/or vibrate to assist in alerting those who are unable to hear standard smoke alarms when they sound.


What powers a smoke alarm?
Smoke alarms are powered by battery or they are hardwired into the home’s electrical system. If the smoke alarm is powered by battery, it runs on either a disposable 9-volt battery or a non-replaceable 10-year lithium (“long-life”) battery. A backup battery is usually present on hardwired alarms and may need to be replaced.

These batteries must be tested on a regular basis and, in most cases, should be replaced at least once each year (except for lithium batteries). See the Smoke Alarm Maintenance section for more information.


Are smoke alarms expensive?
Smoke alarms are not expensive and are worth the lives they can help save. Ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms cost between $6 and $20. Dual sensor smoke alarms cost between $24 and $40. Some fire departments offer reduced price, or even free, smoke alarms. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information.


Where should I install my smoke alarms?
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Many fatal fires begin late at night or early in the morning, so the U.S. Fire Administration recommends installing smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas.

Since smoke and many deadly gases rise, installing your smoke alarms at the proper level will provide you with the earliest warning possible. Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Some fire departments will install battery-operated smoke alarms in your home at no cost. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information. Hardwired smoke alarms should be installed by a qualified electrician.


Is your smoke alarm still working? 
Smoke alarms must be maintained! A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all. A smoke alarm only works when it is properly installed and maintained. Depending on how your smoke alarm is powered (9-volt, 10-year lithium, or hardwired), you’ll have to maintain it according to manufacturer’s instructions. General guidelines for smoke alarm maintenance:
Smoke alarm powered by a 9-volt battery

• Test the alarm monthly.
• Replace the batteries at least once per year.
• The entire smoke alarm unit should be replaced every 8-10 years.

Smoke alarm powered by a 10-year lithium (or “long life”) battery

• Test the alarm monthly.
• Since you cannot (and should not) replace the lithium battery, the entire smoke alarm unit should be replaced according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Smoke alarm that is hardwired into the home’s electrical system

• Test the alarm monthly.
• The backup battery should be replaced at least once per year.
• The entire smoke alarm unit should be replaced every 8-10 years.

Never disable a smoke alarm while cooking
A smoke alarm is just doing its job when it sounds while you’re cooking or taking a shower with lots of steam.

• If a smoke alarm sounds while you’re cooking or taking a shower with lots of steam,do not remove the battery. You should:
• Open a window or door and press the “hush” button,
• Wave a towel at the alarm to clear the air, or
• Move the entire alarm several feet away from the location.

Disabling a smoke alarm or removing the battery can be a deadly mistake.


State-by-State Residential Smoke Alarm Requirements
The USFA compiled state-by-state residential guidelines for smoke alarms. Families can find life-saving fire safety tips required or suggested by their very own state. The guidelines include instructions on the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms. The tips will help families do their part to protect themselves and the firefighters who protect their lives!


More info: Children and Smoke Alarms


SOURCE: http://www.usfa.fema.gov

Children as young as three years old can follow a fire escape plan they have practiced often. Yet, many families don't have detailed escape plans, and those that do usually don't practice them. Practicing a fire escape plan and fire-safe behaviors on a regular basis can mean the difference between life and death.

• Draw a basic diagram of your home, marking all windows and doors, and plan two routes of escape out of each room. 
• Consider various fire scenarios when creating your plan and develop actions for a safe escape. 
• Plan for each member of your family, including babies and toddlers who may be unable to escape on their own.
• Printable Escape Grid (PDF, 140 Kb, Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Help)
• Keep exits clear of debris and toys.
• Keep your child's bedroom door closed. If a hallway fire occurs, a closed door may hinder the smoke from overpowering your baby or toddler, giving firefighters extra time for rescue.
• Teach toddlers not to hide from firefighters. Their uniforms can be scary in times of crisis. Teach children that firefighters are there to help in an emergency. Take children for a tour at your local fire station so that they can see a firefighter in full gear.
• Teach your children how to crawl under the smoke to reduce smoke inhalation.
• Also, teach your children how to touch closed doors to see if they are hot before opening. If so, use an alternate escape route.
• Have a safe meeting place outside the home and teach children never to go back inside

Practicing fire-safe behaviors and knowing what to do in an emergency can give your family extra seconds to escape.


SOURCE: http://www.usfa.fema.gov

The reality is that when fire strikes, your home could be engulfed in smoke and flames in just a few minutes.  It is important to have a home fire escape plan that prepares your family to think fast and get out quickly when the smoke alarm sounds. What if your first escape route is blocked by smoke or flames? That's why having two ways out is such a key part of your plan. This year’s theme,“Have 2 Ways Out!”, focuses on the importance of fire escape planning and practice. 

BASIC FIRE ESCAPE PLANNING      
Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

• Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.  Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. For easy planning, download NFPA's escape planning grid (PDF, 634 KB). This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.
• Download these NFPA safety tips on escape planning (PDF, 444 KB).

Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code® requires interconnected smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

• Everyone in the household must understand the escape plan. When you walk through your plan, check to make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily.
• Choose an outside meeting place (i.e. neighbor's house, a light post, mailbox, or stop sign) a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet after they've escaped. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan.
• Go outside to see if your street number is clearly visible from the road. If not, paint it on the curb or install house numbers to ensure that responding emergency personnel can find your home.
• Have everyone memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department. That way any member of the household can call from a neighbor's home or a cellular phone once safely outside.
• If there are infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in the event of an emergency. Assign a backup person too, in case the designee is not home during the emergency.
• If windows or doors in your home have security bars, make sure that the bars have emergency release devices inside so that they can be opened immediately in an emergency. Emergency release devices won't compromise your security - but they will increase your chances of safely escaping a home fire.
• Tell guests or visitors to your home about your family's fire escape plan. When staying overnight at other people's homes, ask about their escape plan. If they don't have a plan in place, offer to help them make one. This is especially important when children are permitted to attend "sleepovers" at friends' homes. See NFPA's "Sleepover fire safety for kids" fact sheet.
• Be fully prepared for a real fire: when a smoke alarm sounds, get out immediately. Residents of high-rise and apartment buildings may be safer "defending in place."
• Once you're out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

Putting your plan to the test

• Practice your home fire escape plan twice a year, making the drill as realistic as possible.
• Make arrangements in your plan for anyone in your home who has a disability.
• Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.
• It's important to determine during the drill whether children and others can readily waken to the sound of the smoke alarm. If they fail to awaken, make sure that someone is assigned to wake them up as part of the drill and in a real emergency situation.
• If your home has two floors, every family member (including children) must be able to escape from the second floor rooms. Escape ladders can be placed in or near windows to provide an additional escape route. Review the manufacturer's instructions carefully so you'll be able to use a safety ladder in an emergency. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly. Children should only practice with a grown-up, and only from a first-story window. Store the ladder near the window, in an easily accessible location. You don't want to have to search for it during a fire.
• Always choose the escape route that is safest – the one with the least amount of smoke and heat – but be prepared to escape under toxic smoke if necessary. When you do your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to your exit.
• Closing doors on your way out slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape.
• In some cases, smoke or fire may prevent you from exiting your home or apartment building. To prepare for an emergency like this, practice "sealing yourself in for safety" as part of your home fire escape plan. Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to seal the door cracks and cover air vents to keep smoke from coming in. If possible, open your windows at the top and bottom so fresh air can get in. Call the fire department to report your exact location. Wave a flashlight or light-colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week website, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2012 NFPA

FAST FACTS ABOUT FIRE FROM THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION:

Home Fires 

• One home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds in 2010.
• Most fatal fires kill one or two people.  In 2010, 19 home fires killed five or more people. These 19 fires resulted in 101 deaths.
• In 2010, U.S. fire departments responded to 369,500 home structure fires. These fires caused 13,350 civilian injuries, 2,640 civilian deaths, and $6.9 billion in direct damage.

Escape Planning 

• According to an NFPA survey, only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.
• Almost three-quarters of Americans do have an escape plan; however, less than half actually practiced it.
• One-third of Americans households who made and estimate they thought they would have at least 6 minutes before a fire in their home would become life threatening. The time available is often less. And only 8% said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm would be to get out! 
  Smoke Alarms
• Almost two-thirds (62%) of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
• In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm, hardwired alarms operated 92% of the time, while battery powered alarms operated only 77%  of the time.

Cooking 

• Cooking has been the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries since 1990. Unattended cooking was by far the leading cause of these fires; Two-thirds of home cooking  fires began with ignition of cooking materials, including food, cooking oil, fat, or grease .
• Cooking caused two of every five (42%)  of reported home fires, roughly one of every seven  (15% ) home fire deaths, and two of every five (37% ) home fire injuries, and 11% of direct property damage from home fires in 2010.
• Ranges accounted for the 58% of home cooking fire incidents. Ovens accounted for 16%.
• Children under five face a higher risk of non-fire burns associated with cooking than being burned in a cooking fire.
• 90% of burns associated with cooking equipment resulted from contact with hot equipment or some other non-fire source.

Heating

• Heating equipment was the leading cause of reported home fires in the 1980s and has generally ranked second since them.  It is the second leading cause of home fire deaths. Fires involving heating equipment peak in December, January and February, as do deaths from these fires.
• The leading factor contributing to heating equipment fires was failure to clean, principally creosote from solid fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys.
• Portable or fixed space heaters, including wood stoves, were involved in one-third (32%) of home heating fires and four out of five (79%) home heating deaths.
• Half of home heating fire deaths resulted from fires caused by heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses or bedding.

Smoking Materials

• In 2010, smoking materials started and estimated 17,500 home structure fires, resulting in 540 deaths, 1,320 injuries and $535 million in direct property damage. Smoking materials are the leading cause of home fire deaths.
• Sleep was a factor in two of every five home smoking material fire deaths. Possible alcohol impairment was reported in one quarter of these deaths.
• In recent years, Canada and the United States have required that all cigarettes sold must be “fire safe,” that is have reduced ignition strength and less likely to start fires.

Electrical 

• Half  (49%) of home electrical fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment. Other leading types of equipment were washer or dryer, fan, portable or stationary space heater, air conditioning equipment, water heater and range.
• In 2010, electrical failures or malfunctions were factors in an estimated 46,500 home structure fires resulting in 420 deaths, 1,520 injuries and $1.5 billion in property damage.
  

Candles

• On average, there are 35 home candle fires reported per day.
• More than one-third of these fires started in the bedroom.
• More than half of all candle fires start when things that can burn are too close to the candle.
• In 2010, candles caused 3% of home fires, 4% of home fire deaths, 6% of home fire injuries and 5% of direct property damage from home fires.

Home Fire Sprinklers

• Automatic fire sprinkler systems cut the risk of dying in a home fire by about 83%.
• Home fire sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene.
• Sprinklers are highly effective because they react so quickly in a fire. They reduce the risk of death or injury from a fire because they dramatically reduce the heat, flames and smoke produced, allowing people time to evacuate the home.

Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week website, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2012 NFPA.