An Overview of Home Fire Safety Issues

Many people think that home fires are rare and it can't happen to them. Such tragedies always seem to happen, at times, only to other people. Nothing can be further from the truth. Fire is the third leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States. Home fires occur more frequently than you think. According to the US Fire Administration, in 2005, there were 3,675 civilian deaths and 17,925 injuries due to fire. 115 fire fighters were killed on duty. 83 percent of civilian fire deaths occurred in residence and the property loss is estimated to be around $10.7 billion. Around 1.6 million incidences of fire were reported and many are believed to have remained unreported causing additional injuries and loss.

People usually form their ideas about fire from outdoor log fires which take some time and effort to ignite and thus they are lulled into a false sense of safety. On the contrary inside a home a fire can spread pretty fast. It might be already late by the time you can shout "Fire!". It is imperative that everyone understands the nature of fire to be able to appreciate its ability to cause devastation. Inside the home there are various fire hazards. the most notable is the kitchen. It is the most hazardous room in a home and most often all members of the family gather there. It is important to develop safe cooking habits.