Fire Deaths and Injuries Preventable – Lack of Awareness and Equipment to Blame

Accidents happen. Death comes in ways often unexpected, but when it comes to residential fires, training and equipment can make a world of a difference.


Sydney, Australia (June 2, 2011) – Nearly 140 years ago on October 8, 1871, disaster struck the United States as several fires, now known as The Great Fires of Peshtigo, Chicago, Michigan and Port Huron, broke out on the very same day, killing several thousands of people, destroying millions of acres of land and property.

In Peshtigo, Wisconsin, alone, an estimated 2,500 lives were consumed by the conflagration, causing the most deaths by fire ever to occur in United States History. Theories suggest that the simultaneous fires may have been caused by the combustion of methane brought about by the impact of fragments from the Comet Biela.

Today, almost a century and a half later, fire still contributes to vast numbers of accidental deaths and injuries throughout the U.S., though the causes are nowhere as dramatic as falling heavenly bodies.

According to the CDC or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009, one person died by fire every 175 minutes while another was injured every 31 minutes. Surprisingly, the number 1 cause of residential fires is cooking, and not something simply beyond one’s control.

Advancements in technology over the years have greatly reduced the number of deaths by fire, though lack of awareness, training and/or equipment still endangers many households to this day.

CDC reports indicate that 4 out of 10 home fire deaths occur in homes lacking smoke alarms, while an estimated 40% of residential fire deaths are attributed to the use of alcohol and smoking.

The guys at www.FireExtinguisherShop.com believe that many more lives could be saved provided that household members have some sort of basic firefighting training and equipment.

Training bolsters confidence and greatly reduces panicking when faced with potentially life-threatening situations, while a fire extinguisher, in the right hands, is a powerful ally in the fight against accidental fires.

The key lies in knowing what to do and doing it without hesitation while the fire is still controllable.

For additional information on how to carefully prepare for fire emergencies or useful tips on how to deal with fire breakouts should they occur, check out http://www.fireextinguishershop.com.

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Mark Summers

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Fire Extinguisher Shop

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