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The Impacts and Improvement of Fire

Safety
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Table of Contents

Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
The Devastating Impacts of Fire .................................................................................................................... 3
Common Ways Fires are Created .............................................................................................................. 3
Effects of Fire ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Solution Statement ........................................................................................................................................ 4
How Humans can Prevent Fires ................................................................................................................. 4
Building on Current Prevention Measures ................................................................................................ 5
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................... 5
References ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Table of Figures

Figure 1 ….....................................................................................................................................................4
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Abstract

Fire is used in many people's lives daily, whether they know it or not. They use it to cook food on their
stove, use it to heat homes, when the car engine starts to get to and from work. People depend on it to
be able to work properly in their lives. Fire was one of the first things humans needed to live, strictly
using it as a heat source and cook food. Safety for fires has gotten so advanced over the decades it is
unbelievable. Comparing statistics from 1980 and 2021, the number of fires has gone down by 1.6
million annually, civilian deaths and injuries have almost cut in half since then, and the amount of
billions of dollars in property damage have gone down nearly five million dollars. There has been a
significant amount of fire safety progress in the past 30 years. Improving equipment, cleanliness of your
house, and overall better basic learning on the best ways to prevent fires around us can drastically
reduce the fires and the impact around the world. Fires have been one of the country's leading causes of
deaths in the past years. Not to mention it also has a large impact on wildlife.

The Devastating Impacts of Fire

Common Ways Fires are Created

Even the smallest, most controlled fire could spark a massive destructive fire. The main problem is that
even having the basic knowledge to be able to start a fire, for example, lighting a cigarette, or turning on
a stove to make dinner, can put you in danger and risk of starting a major fire and putting yourself,
others, and properties at risk. Some of the easiest documented ways fires have started are by cooking
accidents, oil, or flammable liquids spilling over. Electrical fires are another way fires can start; it could
be overheating of products used in cool weather trying to keep the house warm. The last common
human related ways fires start is by smoking. In 2020, there was a massive wildfire in California caused
because of a half-burned cigarette that someone didn’t put out properly. There had to be 100,000
people in the area had to be evacuated, and over 8,000 acres of land were destroyed. Some background
information about this was that the smoker had thrown it into a dry bush, and windy conditions helped
set the ashes break out and start that massive fire.

Effects of Fire

Fire departments responded to over 1.3 million calls related to fire in 2021, fires caused 3,800 civilian
deaths, added up to 14,700 civilian injuries in 2021. 18% of fire related deaths were caused from vehicle
fires. That is 7 people a day that die from fires, fires can start and get deadly very quickly. Another
problem is that business buildings can catch on fire if they are not wired properly, or just simple
electrical problems such as outdated wiring, power cords not being used right, or lamps being left on.
Make sure your employer knows about fire safety and management, and make sure that your company
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has a fire inspector that comes in and ensures that the building and what is inside the building up to
safety codes and there are no fire hazards. A total of 10.3 million acres of land burned in the United
States in 2020 due to wildfires. 90% of them were started and caused by people. Fire is one of the most
common ways people experience property damage each year. Nearly 300 children sustain injuries or die
in fires every year, at least one child per day.

Figure 1. California Fire from burned cigarette

Solution Statement

How Humans can Prevent Fires

As a solution to fire safety, it would be a practice of having standards put into place to get people
educated on how to deal with fire in the safest way possible, that way being so that we can keep fire
disasters to a minimum. Some simple solutions could be to check that weather to see if your area will be
going through any droughts, if the land is dry you want to be extra careful, not to do any actions that
could result in a fore having broken out, such as building a campfire, operating motor vehicles in dry,
long grass to prevent a wildfire. Another way to make sure property is protected whether it is
commercial, industrial, or residential is to make sure that those buildings have sprinklers, fire alarms,
fire extinguishers, and testing equipment on a regular basis. Another way people can practice fire safety
is by having a plan in place and testing it if there is a fire, people should practice the drill once a year
with everyone who is in the house be be sure that every person knows the procedures of there happens
to be a fire in the house. Every house should be equipped with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and
smoke alarms to ensure the safety of the property.
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Building on Current Prevention Measures

We can take steps to learn about what we have already implemented in fire safety to improve it more,
or by establishing routines in our daily lives to reduce the chances of starting a fire. By getting a routine
down, you can make sure that the smoke alarms are working by checking the batteries once a month, go
through your house and make sure that the stoves, lamps, and all other electrical appliances are turned
off before bed. Make sure that they are up to date, working safety equipment if case there is a fire, fire
extinguishers are up to date, fire hydrants are working and are not blocked, exits are free of any clutter
so that you can move in case of a fire. If there is a child or multiple children present, if they are past the
age of 5, teach them safety produces in case of a fire, let them know the number to call, where to go,
and where everyone is.

Conclusion

The implementation of fire safety and prevention needs to be looked over at all levels to ensure that
everyone is doing their part in the community and at their own homes to get out in front and prevent
any fires from spreading. The public needs to be educated whether online or in public to keep yourself,
others, and animals safe. Unsafe choices by humans have caused devastating wildfires that have results
in injures and death. Practicing these old and new safety measures can result in a safer, less harmful
world, with fires at a safe and controlled level. This report is made to help people understand the danger
of fire, but also how they can prevent fires from spreading by controlling them and showing them the
effects of fire. Having these techniques in place will help us save the environment around us and keep
the community safe.

References
(2023). Nfpa.org. https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-
reports/fire-loss-in-the-united-states?l=63

(1) thezebra.com House Fire Statistics in 2023 | The Zebra

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