RESIDENTIAL FIRE INJURY

The death rate from fire and flame injury among children ages 14 and under declined by 43 percent from 1987 to 1996. However, fires and burns remain the third-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Children, especially those ages 5 and under, are at the greatest risk from home fire-related death and injury. A less acute perception of danger, less control of their environment, and a limited ability to react promptly and properly to a fire contribute to this excess risk.

Each year, U.S. fire departments respond to more than 400,000 residential fires, or one every 71 seconds. These fires account for nearly 22 percent of all reported fire incidents, yet cause 80 percent of all fire-related deaths and nearly 75 percent of all injuries. Smoke alarms are extremely effective at preventing fire-related death and injury. The chances of dying in a residential fire are cut in half when a smoke alarm is present. Residential sprinkler systems, escape plans and fire extinguishers are also effective at preventing and mitigating this risk.

  PREVENTION TIPS

• Keep matches, gasoline, lighters and all other flammable materials locked away and out of children's reach.

• Install smoke alarms in your home on every level and in every sleeping area. Test them once a month, replace the batteries at least once a year (unless the batteries are designed for longer life), and replace the alarms every ten years. Ten-year lithium alarms also are available and do not require an annual battery change.

• For the best protection against different types of fires, consider installing both ionization alarms (better at sensing flaming fires) and photoelectric alarms (better at sensing slow, smoky fires).

• Plan and practice several fire escape routes from each room of the home and identify an outside meeting place. Practicing an escape plan may help children who become frightened and confused in a fire to escape to safety.