- Author
- Geneva Association
- Title
- World Fire Statistics.
- Coporate
- Geneva Association, Switzerland
- Journal
- Geneva Association Information Newsletter, No. 19, 1-9,
- Report
- Bulletin 19, October 2003,
- Keywords
- fire statistics | fire losses | death | fire fighting | fire insurance | fire protection | costs | fire safety
- Abstract
- For the first time, the Bulletin includes an editorial, which looks back at the way in which human and property losses from fire have developed among countries participating in the annual UN survey of national fire costs over the past two decades. However, it then goes on to draw attention to the much more serious problems in tackling fire which apparently face a number of countries in Eastern Europe, including in particular several members of the former Soviet Union. The Centre has reached this view after estimating fire death rates in relation to population, based on statistics published by the World Health Organization in respect of "deaths from accidents caused by smoke, fire and flames", an analysis not previously undertaken by any other body. The article concludes by arguing that the governments of these countries need urgently to collect relevant data to enable them to measure the extent of the national fire problem and to develop a strategy to reduce the cost of fire.