The Elberton Fire Department is committed to the
safety and education of the community it serves.
Our goal is to provide every citizen within our
city the highest level of safety awareness
training available. The department can best
accomplish this through Fire Safety Education.
We currently can provide a number of fire safety
education programs for you. The programs can be
for large groups of small groups of all ages, at
your location or at the fire station, at times
convenient for you or your group. The department
can provide information and literature on many
topics of fire safety, from home fire safety to
workplace fire safety. If you are interested in
obtaining this training, contact the Fire
Prevention Officer at the fire station of call
706-213-3152.
Fire in the United States
1. The U.S. has one of the highest fire death
rates in the industrialized world.
2. About 5,000 people die each year in this
country as the result of fire, and another
25,000 are injured.
3. About 100 fire fighters are killed annually
in duty-related incidents.
4. Fire is the third leading cause of accidental
death in the home; at least 80% of all deaths
occur in residences.
5. Each year fire kills more Americans than all
natural disasters combined.
6. More than two million fires are reported each
year. Many others go unreported, causing
additional injuries and property loss.
7. Direct property loss due to fires is
estimated at $9.4 billion annually.
Causes of Fires and Fire Deaths
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in
the U.S. It is also the leading cause of fire
injuries. Cooking fires often result from
unattended cooking and human error, rather than
mechanical failure of stoves and ovens.
Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire
deaths. Smoke detectors and smoldering resistant
bedding and upholstered furniture are
significant fire deterrents.
Heating is the second leading cause of
residential fires and ties with arson as the
second leading cause of deaths. However, heating
fires are a larger problem in single family
homes than in apartments. The heating systems in
single family homes are often not professionally
maintained.
Arson is the third leading cause of residential
fires and a leading cause of residential fire
deaths. In commercial properties, arson is the
major cause of deaths, injuries, and dollar
loss.
Who Is Most At Risk?
Senior citizens and children under the age of
five have the greatest risk of fire death.
The fire death risk among seniors is more than
double the average population.
The fire death risk for children under five is
nearly double the risk of the average
population.
Children under the age of ten accounted for an
estimated 20% of all fire deaths in 1997.
Men die or are injured in fires twice as often
as women.
What Saves Lives
A working smoke alarm dramatically increases a
person's chance of surviving a fire.
Approximately 90% of U.S. homes have at least
one smoke alarm. However, these alarms are not
always properly maintained and as a result might
not work in an emergency. There has been a
disturbing increase over the last ten years in
the number of fires that occur in homes with
non-functioning alarms. It is estimated that
over 40% of residential fires and three-fifths
of residential fatalities occur in homes with no
smoke alarms.
Residential sprinklers have become more cost
effective for homes. Currently, few homes are
protected by them.
Information Courtesy of the U.S. Fire
Administration.
