Every year U.S. fire departments respond to nearly 2 million fires, with three-quarters of them occurring in residences.  Fire costs our nation billions of dollars every year in property loss and thousands of lives lost.

The place where Americans feel safest, at home, is the very place where we are at greatest risk from fire.  If Americans knew more about fire prevention and better understood how to react quickly and sensibly when fire breaks out, we could greatly reduce fire deaths.

Here are a few home fire facts:

• Annually there are approximately 97,000 cooking-related fires resulting in 300 deaths, nearly 5000 injuries, and over $400 million in direct property damage.
• Heating equipment causes over 70,000 fires a year.
• Arson or suspected arson causes over 50,000 fires per year
• Most fatal fires occur at night while people are sleeping.  Most are caused by smoking.  Also fatal fires can be caused by electrical, arson, and children playing with fire.
• One-quarter of fire deaths result from burns, seven out of 10 die from smoke inhalation.
• The most common deadly gas produced by fire is carbon monoxide.
• Smoke and toxic gases rise toward the ceiling.  That's why you should escape from a fire by crawling low under the smoke and gases.