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Van Nuys, CA

 

 

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The National Fire Protection Agency recently published its findings from their report on fire loss in the U.S. for 2007. Again, the report demonstrates what a significant danger fire presents in the home. After reading these statistics, take time to protect yourself and your loved ones. Plan evacuation routes in case of a fire. Practice using them. Eliminate common household hazards that can lead to fires, such as improper wiring, or storing flammable materials near an open flame.

Fire departments responded to 1.6 million fires last year, the lowest total since 2004. Although the number of fires declined, fire deaths and injuries increased.

Fires killed one person every two and a half hours last year. Home fire deaths accounted for more than eight in 10 of all fire deaths. In 2007, fires caused an estimated $14 billion in property damage, a nearly 30 percent increase from 2006.
Other findings from the report:

  • Almost 1.6 million fires were attended by public fire departments, a decrease of 5.2 percent from the year before.
  • 530,500 fires occurred in structures, an increase of 1.2 percent.
  • 414,000 fires, or 78 percent of all structure fires, occurred in residential properties.
  • A residential fire occurs every 76 seconds.
  • 3,430 civilian deaths occurred in 2007, an increase of 5.7 percent.
  • About 84 percent of all fire deaths occurred in the home, an increase of 11 percent.
  • 17,675 civilian fire injuries occurred, an increase of 7.8 percent.
  • 14,000 injuries occurred in residential properties.
  • Nationwide, there was a civilian residential fire injury every 30 minutes.
  • An estimated $14.6 billion in property damage occurred as a result of fire in 2007, an increase of 29.5 percent in 2006. The figure includes the California Fire Storm with an estimated $1.8 billion in property damage.
  • $10.6 billion of property damage occurred in structure fires, excluding structures associated with the California Fire Storm.
  • $7.5 billion of property loss occurred in residential properties, an increase of 8 percent.