The Importance of Fire Safety Systems

According to the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 355,400 home structure fires per year in the United States from 2013 to 2015. These fires caused 2,570 civilian deaths, 11,075 civilian injuries, and $7.0 billion in direct damage. In addition, home structure fires accounted for one-quarter (24%) of all reported fires and caused one-quarter (26%) of associated civilian deaths, two-fifths (41%) of associated civilian injuries, and one-half (49%) of direct property damage. 

The Costs of Home Structure Fires

In addition to the tragic loss of life that can result from a home structure fire, there is also the matter of property damage to consider. It is estimated that the average cost of a home structure fire is $7.0 billion per year in the United States. This includes both direct and indirect costs. 

The vast majority of home structure fires (86%) were contained to the room of origin. However, when they did spread beyond the room of origin, the most common area beyond the room of origin was an adjoining room (54% or an estimated 192,860 home structure fires), followed by the attic or ceiling (22% or an estimated 79,140 home structure fires), and exterior doors or windows (8% or an estimated 28,740 home structure fires).

Common Causes of Home Structure Fires

The leading cause of home structure fires from 2013 to 2015 was cooking equipment. This equipment includes ovens, microwaves, stoves, grills, deep fryers, and other kitchen appliances. More specifically: 

• Range ovens or cooktops were involved in almost half (48%) of all home cooking equipment fires and about one-quarter (24%) of associated civilian deaths. 

• 3% of reported home structure fires began with ignition of solid fuel such as wood or paper burning in a fireplace, stove , or chimney. 

Conclusion: 

As you can see, home structure fires are a serious problem in the United States. They result in countless fatalities and billions of dollars in property damage each year. However, there are steps that you can take to help prevent these fires from happening in the first place. For example, you can install a fire safety system in your home. 

These systems are designed to detect smoke and flames and sound an alarm so that you can evacuate your home as quickly as possible. If you would like more information on fire safety systems, please feel free to visit our website at scspng.com . Thank you for your time!