BURN
PREVENTION FACTS
In
2006, the International Association of Fire Fighters collaborated
with Liberty Mutual Group to conduct a national 2006 Fire Safety
Census, interviewing more than 1,000 adults to assess fire
safety knowledge and behaviors. The survey found that home
fires rank highest on the list of top disaster concerns,
yet many Americans are dangerously negligent when it comes
to taking fire precautions and uninformed about what to do if fire
occurs.
Statistics
showed that:
-
20%
of Americans do not own a fire extinguisher
-
27% do not have a fire escape plan, and many engage in risky
behaviors such as leaving burning candles unattended
-
44% wrongly believed that power strips protect against electrical
fire
-
24%
consider space heaters to be safe
-
15% mistakenly believe that any type of fire extinguisher can
be used to put out any fire
-
6%
knew that a working smoke detector in homes doubled occupants'
chances of surviving a fire
-
30%
would evacuate their home first before calling the fire department
These
findings reveal significant knowledge gaps and raise concern for
one of the most vulnerable populations to fire - children. According
to the report, 84% of parents do not frequently discuss
fire safety with their children and seven in ten parents
reported that their children are not adequately prepared to escape
and survive a fire. These are troublesome findings since the fire
death risk for children under age five is nearly double the risk
of the average population and children make up 15-20%
of fire-related deaths.
Based
on the findings of our national survey, and in response to the clearly
defined need for more fire safety education, the
IAFF and IAFF Burn Foundation continue to strive to raise the awareness
of and educate the community on proper fire and burn prevention
as well as fire safety measures and practices. We do this
through public service announcements, fire safety week campaigns,
school outreach programs and other multi-media materials and programs.
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Donate
to the IAFF Burn Foundation
Check
out the new
IAFF Burn Foundation Store. A portion of all proceeds benefit
the IAFF Burn Foundation.
Upcoming
Events
IAFF 2008 Convention
August 10-15, 2008 - Las Vegas, NV
IAFF National Children's Burn Camp
September 27 - October 3, 2008
Washington, DC
Marine Corps Marathon
October 26, 2008 - Washington, DC
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