Deadly First Month of 2009 Spurs Fire Safety Reminders From the Firemen's Association of the State of New York
February 11, 2009
(NEW YORK) – Since the start of the new year, at least 15 people have died as a result of residential fires statewide, excluding New York City. Eight people, including children, died in one house fire alone – leading the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) to remind residents of the importance of basic home fire safety and prevention measures.
“January was one of the deadliest months, in terms of residential fire fatalities, in recent memory,” said Thomas J. Cuff, Jr., President of FASNY. “These fires emphasize the critical importance for home fire safety, such as the installation and maintenance of smoke detectors which can make a huge difference. It’s the easiest thing you can do to help protect you and your loved ones.”
According to the latest data available from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC), 73 people died in house fires statewide, excluding NYC, in 2007. (2008 statistics have not been released.) If January’s pace of home fire deaths keeps up, 2009 could be the deadliest year for fire fatalities in recent memory. (New York City tracks its own fatality numbers independently.)
“Smoke detectors are the best way to protect your home and family in detecting a fire and providing them the opportunity for escape from a building involved in fire. Most fire deaths and injuries occur at night while victims are asleep and most vulnerable,” said New York State Fire Administrator Floyd A. Madison. “Smoke alarms provide early warning, allowing occupants vital time to escape a fire, and most fire deaths are caused by toxic smoke, not flames. We urge every household to have at least one working smoke detector in the home, prepare a home fire safety exit plan, and to practice this plan routinely as a means to aid family members in swiftly exiting their home should a fire be detected.”
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that fire departments responded to almost 400,000 house fires nationally in 2007. These fires caused 2,865 civilian deaths and 13,600 civilian injuries, as well as $7.4 billion in direct damage. Almost two-thirds (65%) of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
This past holiday season was a particularly deadly one: According to preliminary data from the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 158 fatal fires resulted in more than 200 deaths nationwide from Thanksgiving of last year through the first week of January. (These statistics were compiled based on media reports.)
FASNY urges every homeowner to properly install and maintain smoke detectors, and develop and practice a home fire escape plan among other tips.
Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
- Test your home smoke alarms at least once per month. Do this by pressing the “test” button on the unit.
- If your detectors are battery operated, check the batteries often to make sure the units are operational; use Daylight Saving Time as a reminder to change your batteries twice a year.
- If you do not have one already installed, install a carbon monoxide detector to detect production of potentially lethal carbon monoxide by gas fireplaces, gas stoves, barbecues, gas furnaces.
Space Heaters:
- ALWAYS follow the manufacturers’ instructions.
- Use space heaters for a limited time each day and never connect to an outlet with an extension cord.
- When not in use, be sure to unplug the unit and let it cool down PRIOR TO storing the unit.
- Keep a window slightly ajar or the door open in a room where an unvented heater is in use.
- NEVER use heaters to dry clothing or other combustibles.
Fireplaces:
- Before using the fireplace for the first time in a season, make sure the flue is open. If there are any obstructions, remove them. If not removed, these obstructions will cause carbon monoxide to back up into your home.
- NEVER leave a fireplace unattended.
- Chimneys and vents should be inspected and cleaned annually.
- NEVER burn newspapers or other trash in a fireplace.
Gas or Electric Furnaces:
- Gas or electric furnaces that have not been used for several months will most likely have a build-up of dust and dirt on heating elements. This can cause a burning smell and even a light haze of white smoke when first operated for the season. This smell and haze are not harmful, and will take only several uses before all the dust and dirt on the heating unit are burnt away.
- If possible, run the furnace for the first time in the season on a warmer day with all windows open to allow the smell of burning dust and dirt build-up to escape.
- If black smoke erupts from your furnace, and the furnace itself begins to rumble, LEAVE YOUR HOME IMMEDIATELY AND CALL 911.
- All heating units should be maintained by a professional certified technician. Regular inspections and cleanings of your heating system help to ensure maximum efficiency during the winter months.
Coal and Wood Burning Stoves
- Use coal only if specifically approved by the stove manufacturer.
- Gasoline or other flammable liquids should NEVER be used to start a wood fire since it might explode or flare up.
< Back to Press Releases