Article stresses the importance of homeowners insurance, and some advice to help prevent fires from destroying your home.
Imagine your smoke detector sounding its screeching alarm every 47 seconds, twenty-four hours day, 365 days a year. That is how often a residential fire occurs in the United States. According to a report issued in September 2007 by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a nonprofit group dedicated to improving fire safety, U.S. fire departments responded to 412,500 residential fires in 2006.
Residential fires cause tremendous damage. Some 2,580 civilians (non-firefighters) lost their lives in residential fires in 2006, an average of one civilian fire death every 3 hours and 24 minutes. That represents 80 percent of all civilian deaths due to fire, even though residential fires make up only 25 percent of all reported fires. Another 12,925 civilians were injured in residential fires—a number the NFPA believes is “on the low side, due to under reporting of civilian injuries to the fire service.”
The death of even one person is a tragedy, but the prevention of one death is reason to celebrate. There was a great deal to celebrate in 2006. The number of civilian deaths in residential fires decreased 14.2 percent. That translates into about 430 fewer fire deaths than in 2005. More good news: the number of residential fire injuries declined by 6.5 percent from 2005. Overall, the number of civilian fire deaths has decreased dramatically in the last 30 years. Since 1977, the year NFPA began its current survey, residential fire deaths have declined 57 percent.
Unfortunately, damage to residential property did not decline in 2006. It increased 1.7 percent to $7 billion. Even adjusted for inflation, the average structure loss has increased 47 percent since 1977. Those are direct losses from fire. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that indirect fire losses, such as lost wages, lost business, temporary lodging, and medical costs, could be 10 times more than the direct costs. The prevalence of residential fires and the high costs associated with them is the main reason to have homeowners insurance.
The decline in fire fatalities is the result of several factors. The 9-1-1 emergency telephone system, introduced in Alabama in 1968, adopted by cities and states across the country, and finally designated as the nation’s emergency telephone number in 1999, has increased emergency responsiveness and cut down on fire deaths. Residential smoke detectors, commercially introduced in 1967, have gained widespread acceptance. The inexpensive devices are required by building codes across the country. Under pressure from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, manufacturers made disposable cigarette lighters child-resistant in 1993. The fabric used in mattresses and furniture is less flammable today than it was 30 years ago. Even cigarettes burn cooler, lowering accidental ignitions. One of the biggest changes has been smoking itself, which has declined 50 percent among adults since 1965.
More can be done to prevent fires and save lives, according to the NFPA). It calls for more fire safety education, wider adoption of smoke detectors, increased use of residential sprinkler systems, the development of more products that are fire-resistant, and greater attention to the fire risks facing America’s very young, elderly, and poor.
The suggestions made by NFPA, the U.S. Fire Administration, and other fire-prevention advocates generally are low cost and easy to implement. In addition, insurance companies often provide discounts for homeowners who have adopted fire safety technologies. A home is the largest asset most people own. A homeowner should spare no expense in the effort to keep it safe from fire and, in case all safety measures fail, he or she should make sure that the home is insured against fire loss.
Homeowners Insurance - The Need for Residential Fire Insurance
