FIRE IN THE UNITED STATES - DEATHS, INJURIES, DOLLAR LOSS AND INCIDENTS AT THE NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS

• NCJ Number: 62839
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 273 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Commerce
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TO CALL ATTENTION TO FIRE LOSSES AND AID IN PREVENTION, THIS REPORT CITES STATISTICS SHOWING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS TYPE OF VICTIMS AND ILLUSTRATES WAYS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO ANALYZE THEIR FIRE PROBLEMS.

Abstract

WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS, THE U.S. HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF FIRE INCIDENTS, CASUALTIES, AND DOLLAR LOSS PER CAPITA DUE TO FIRE. RESIDENTIAL FIRES ARE MOST DESTRUCTIVE, WITH MALES (ESPECIALLY NONWHITE MALES), THE ELDERLY, AND CHILDREN BEING THE LEADING VICTIMS. HOWEVER, THE RATE OF FIRE INJURY LARGELY DUE TO BURNS OR SMOKE INHALATION, IS GREATEST FOR THOSE IN THE 18-TO-35 AGE GROUP. FIREFIGHTERS HAVE THE NATION'S MOST HAZARDOUS PROFESSION, SUGGESTING THE NEED FOR BETTER PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, BREATHING APPARATUS, AND FIRE SAFETY TRAINING, AS WELL AS PHYSICAL FITNESS MAINTENANCE. OVERALL, FIRE DEATHS ARE HIGHER IN BOTH LARGE CITIES AND RURAL COMMUNITIES THAN IN MID-SIZE COMMUNITIES, WITH ALASKA, MAINE, AND THE SOUTHERN STATES PRODUCING THE HIGHEST FIRE DEATH RATES. TWO STATES ARE EXAMINED IN DETAIL IN THIS REPORT--OHIO AND CALIFORNIA ALONG WITH SEVEN CITIES WITH COMPARABLE DATA SYSTEMS. FINDINGS WHEN DATA ARE ANALYZED SHOW THAT THE LEADING CAUSES OF FIRE ARE COOKING, SMOKING, HEATING, INCENDIARY OR SUSPICIOUS CAUSES, ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION, APPLIANCES, CHILDREN PLAYING, AND CARELESSNESS WITH OPEN FLAMES AND SPARKS. ALTHOUGH RESIDENTIAL FIRES ARE ONLY 22 PERCENT OF ALL FIRES ATTENDED BY THE FIRE SERVICE IN CALIFORNIA AND OHIO, THEY ACCOUNT FOR 68 PERCENT OF DEATHS, 57 PERCENT OF INJURIES, AND 43 PERCENT OF DOLLAR LOSS. OTHER STATISTICS COVER WILDFIRES AND INCENDIARY FIRES THROUGH THE YEARS, UNREPORTED HOUSEHOLD FIRES, AND YEARLY CHANGES IN FIRE LOSS. CITY-BY-CITY FIRE DATA (FROM OHIO) ARE ALSO SUMMARIZED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN TABULAR DATA ON CALIFORNIA AND OHIO RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL FIRES, NATIONAL ESTIMATES AND SURVEYS, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIRE-RELATED ACTIVITIES. EXTENSIVE GRAPHS, CHARTS, AND STATISTICAL DATA ARE INCLUDED ALONG WITH FOOTNOTES, REFERENCES, AND AN INDEX. (WJR)