Valuable Information About Fires
Top Fire Causes
- According to the NFPA's most recent study, the top causes of fires in 2022 were cooking, heating, electrical, smoking, and candles.
- Cooking was the leading cause of reported home fires and injuries in 2015-2019 and the second leading cause of home fire deaths. Cooking caused 49 percent of reported home fires, 20 percent of reported home fire deaths, and 42 percent of home fire injuries. In 2019, Thanksgiving was the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
Fire Extinguishers
A portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives, but portable extinguishers have limitations. Because fire grows and spreads so rapidly, the #1 priority for residents is to get out safely.
- Use a portable fire extinguisher when the fire is confined to a small area, such as a wastebasket, and is not growing; everyone has exited the building; the fire department has been called or is being called; and the room is not filled with smoke.
- To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:
1. Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you, and release the locking mechanism.
2. Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
3. Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
4. Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
- For the home, select a multi-purpose extinguisher (can be used on all types of home fires) that is large enough to put out a small fire but not so heavy as to be challenging to handle.
- Choose a fire extinguisher with the label of an independent testing laboratory.
- Read the instructions for the fire extinguisher and become familiar with its parts and operation before a fire breaks out. Local fire departments or fire equipment distributors often offer hands-on fire extinguisher training.
- Install fire extinguishers close to an exit and keep your back to a clear exit when you use the device so you can easily escape if the fire cannot be controlled. If the room fills with smoke, leave immediately.
- Know when to go. Fire extinguishers are one element of a fire response plan, but the primary element is safe escape. Every household should have a home fire escape plan and working smoke alarms.
Residential Sprinklers
Home fire sprinklers can dramatically reduce a fire's heat, flames, and smoke. Correctly installed and maintained fire sprinklers help save lives.
Fire sprinklers have been around for over a century, protecting commercial and industrial properties and public buildings. Many people don't realize that the same life-saving technology is also available for homes, where roughly 80 percent of all civilian fire deaths occur.
Facts About Home Fire Sprinklers
Automatic sprinklers are highly effective and reliable elements of total system designs for fire protection in buildings. According to NFPA's "U.S. Experience with Sprinklers" report:
- The civilian death rate was 81 percent lower in homes with fire sprinklers than in homes without them.
- The average firefighter injury rate was nearly 80 percent lower when fire sprinklers were present during fires.
- When sprinklers were present, fires were kept to the room of origin 97 percent of the time.
- The home fire death rate was 90 percent lower when fire sprinklers and hardwired smoke alarms were present. By comparison, this death rate is only 18 percent lower when battery-powered smoke alarms are present, but automatic extinguishing systems aren't
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