- Author
- Ahrens, M.
- Title
- Physical Disability as a Factor in Home Fire Deaths.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Report
- NFPA No. USS82, August 2009, 47 p.
- Keywords
- home fires | fire statistics | death | handicapped | fire safety | ignition | fire alarm systems | injuries | bedrooms | mattresses | bedding | clothing | methodology
- Abstract
- NFPA estimates that physical disability was a factor in an average of 360, or 13%, of home fire deaths. More than half of the victims were involved in ignition and in the area of origin when the fire started. More than half had working smoking alarms. When physical disability contributed to the fatal injury, the victims were more likely to have been killed by a fire started by smoking materials, that originated in the bedroom, and that began with either a) mattresses or bedding, or b) clothing, than were home fire victims in general. These estimates are based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA's) annual fire department experience survey.