pspan classheadlineHome FiresspanpulliIn 2011 U.S. fire departments responded to 370000 home structure fires. These fires caused 13910 civilian injuries 2520 civilian deaths 6.9 billion in direct damage.liliOn average seven people die in U.S. home fires per day.liliCooking is the leading cause home fires and home fire injuries followed heating equipment. Smoking is a leading cause of civilian home fire deaths.liliMost fatal fires kill one or two people. In 2011 12 home fires killed five or more people resulting in a total of 67 deaths.liulpspan classheadlineCookingnbspnbspspanpulliimg alt stylefloat right margin-left 5px srchttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagesresearch20and20reportskitchenstir.gif fcksavedurlhttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagesresearch20and20reportskitchenstir.gifU.S. Fire Departments responded to an estimated annual average of 156600 cooking-related fires between 2007-2011 resulting in 400 civilian deaths 5080 civilian injuries and 853nbsp million in direct damage.nbspliliTwo of every five home fires start in the kitchen.liliUnattended cooking was a factor in 34 of reported home cooking fires.liliTwo-thirds of home cooking fires started with ignition of food or other cooking materials.nbspliliRanges accounted for the 58 of home cooking fire incidents. Ovens accounted for 16.liliChildren under five face a higher risk of non-fire burns associated with cooking than being burned in a cooking fire.liliMicrowave ovens are one of the leading home products associated with scald burn injuries not related to fires.nbspNearly half 44 of the microwave oven injuries seen at emergency rooms in 2011 were scald burns.liliClothing was the item first ignited in less than 1 of home cooking fires but these incidents accounted for 16 of the cooking fire deaths.liulpspan classheadlineHeatingspanpulliimg alt stylefloat right margin-left 5px srchttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagessafety20informationspaceheater100.jpg fcksavedurlhttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagessafety20informationspaceheater100.jpgThe leading factor contributing to heating equipment fires was failure to clean principally creosote from solid fueled heating equipment primarily chimneys.liliPortable or fixed space heaters including wood stoves were involved in one-third 32 of home heating fires and four out of five 80 home heating deaths.liliHalf 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.liliIn most years heating is the second leading cause of home fires fire deaths and fire injuries. Fixed or portable space heaters are involved in about 4 out of 5 heating fire deaths.liulpspan classheadlineSmoking Materialsspanpul stylelist-style-type discliDuring 2007-2011 smoking materials caused an estimated 17900 home structure fires resulting in 580 deaths 1280 injuries and 509 million in direct property damage per year.liliSleep was a factor in one-third of the home smoking material fire deaths.liliPossible alcohol impairment was a factor in one in five of home smoking fire deaths.nbspnbspliliIn 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.liulpspan classheadlineElectricalspanpul stylelist-style-type discliimg alt stylefloat right margin-left 5px srchttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagesresearch20and20reportselectricaloutlet.jpg fcksavedurlhttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagesresearch20and20reportselectricaloutlet.jpgAbout 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.liliElectrical failure or malfunctions caused an average of almost 50000 home fires per year resulting in roughly 450 deaths and 1.5 billion in direct property damage.nbspnbspliulpspan classheadlineCandlesspanpul stylelist-style-type discliDuring 2007-2011 candles caused 3 of home fires 4 of home fire deaths 7nbspof home fire injuries and 6nbspof direct property damage from home fires.liliOn average there are 32 home candle fires reported per day.liliRoughly one-third of these fires started in the bedroom however the candle industry found that only 13 of candle users burn candles in the bedroom most often.liliMore than half of all candle fires start when things that can burn are too close to the candle.liulpspan classheadlineEscape Planningnbspspanpul stylelist-style-type discliimg alt stylefloat right margin-left 5px srchttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagesresearch20and20reportsescapegrid130.gif fcksavedurlhttpwww.nfpa.org7EmediaImagesresearch20and20reportsescapegrid130.gifAccording to an NFPA survey only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.liliAlmost three-quarters of Americans do have an escape plan however more than half never practiced it .liliOne-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 outnbspliulpspan classheadlineSmoke Alarmsspanpul stylelist-style-type disclispan classbodyAlmost two-thirds 62 of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.spanliliWorking smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.liliIn fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm hardwired alarms operated 92 of the time while battery powered alarms operated only 77nbspof the time.liulbrpp