Did you know? 

• Having a working smoke alarm reduces one’s chance of dying in a fire by nearly half.

• Fires and burns are the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1-14 years. 

• Children ages 5 and under are at a greater risk from home fire-related death and injury, with a fire death rate 1.5 times the national average.

•   A less acute perception of danger, less control over their environment, and a limited ability to react promptly and properly to a fire contribute to this excess risk.

Smoke Alarms are Essential

• As of 2004, 96 percent of homes in the United States had at least one smoke alarm. 

• However, only three-quarters of all homes had at least one working smoke alarm. 

• Over 40 percent of all home fires and more than half of all fire-related deaths in the home occur in the 4 percent of U.S. homes that have no working smoke alarms.

Action Plan - Fire prevention starts with you ! 

Preparation and education are key elements of preventing fire tragedies.  Here are a few simple steps for you to help prevent fire-related injuries and deaths in your home. 

• Purchase smoke alarms.  Smoke alarms are available at a variety of price points; they can be battery operated or electrically hard wired in your home.     

• Install the smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, making sure that there is an alarm outside every separate sleeping area and in every bedroom.

• Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Ceiling- mounted alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the nearest wall; wall-mounted alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.

• Test smoke alarms monthly; follow the manufacturer's instructions.  

• Replace smoke alarms batteries once a year, or as soon as the battery chirps warning that the battery is low.  Replace batteries even if alarms are hardwired in case of a power outage.

• Create and practice an escape route with your family.  Mark the two ways out of every room, including doors and windows. 

• Choose a safe meeting place outside the home.  Make sure to mark this on your escape plan.   

• Assign a person in the family to assist infants and older adults in the fire drill and in case of an emergency.   

• Once there is a fire, get out and stay out! Call 911 from a neighbor’s house. 

	Store matches and lighters in locked cabinets or out of a child’s reach
	Never leave the kitchen while cooking and never leave a child alone.
	Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop.
	Keep and maintain a safe distance (3 feet) between space heaters and anything that can burn.
	Keep children away from candles and other open flames.

Developed by the U. S. Fire Administration in partnership with Safe Kids USA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Fire Protection Association and ZERO TO THREE