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Fire Prevention Week Focus on Candles, but Seniors Should Eye Alarms

Time to escape from a home fire is now about three minutes

Oct. 7, 2005 – Although the theme of National Fire Prevention Week 2005 is on candle safety, senior citizens – in particular those with disabilities – should use the week of October 9-15 to focus on broader planning for fire prevention and safety. Home fires are burning hotter and up to five times faster than they did 30 years ago, according to federal research, presenting a serious challenge for many older adults. An effective fire or smoke alarm may be critical to a safe escape.

(Information on candles and video on fire at bottom of article.)

A study by the National Institute of Standards and Testing determined that residential fires the time available to escape some fires has reduced from 15 to 20 minutes to about three minutes.

“The three-minute escape window for flaming fires differs from the 17 minutes NIST recorded in its seminal smoke alarm tests in the 1970s,” said Richard Bukowski, the NIST researcher who conducted both studies.

“It confirms what fire scientists have recognized for some time: fires today seem to burn faster and kill quicker because the contents of modern homes (such as furnishings) can burn faster and more intensely. Our new research, however, proves that even with a three-minute warning, smoke alarms still offer enough time to save your life,” Bukowski stressed.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration, the number of home fire fatalities has been cut in half since smoke alarms first became widely available during the mid-1970s. Currently, 95 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm, but 43 percent of all fatal fires occur in homes without working smoke alarms.

Today’s home smoke alarms—both ionization and photoelectric types—consistently provide enough time for people to escape most fires. Immediate response to an alarm, however, is critical, since the tests affirmed previous findings that individuals caught in a flaming fire (as opposed to a smoldering fire) have only an average of three minutes to escape untenable or unsurvivable conditions.

Those are the key conclusions of a two-year National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) study, the first comprehensive look at smoke alarms since NIST tests 25 years ago.

NIST found that ionization smoke detectors activate quicker for flaming fires than photoelectric alarms. Photoelectric alarms, on the other hand, often provide faster response time to smoldering fires. Placement of either type on every level of the house would save lives. The tests also showed how closed bedroom doors and proper placement of smoke alarms improved prospects for survival. In both cases, time to escape untenable conditions increased, providing the individual was not in the room where the fire originated.

"Smoke alarms have been around a long enough time that most people know to evacuate immediately when they hear one," John Drengenberg, manager of Consumer Affairs for Underwriters Laboratories (UL) said. "Unfortunately, people are prone to forget that the batteries in smoke alarms need changing at least once a year and the smoke alarm itself should be replaced every 10 years."

"Fires may behave differently because homes today typically contain larger quantities and different types of materials than before," said Drengenberg. "This means you need as much early warning as possible to evacuate safely. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms remain the most effective way to protect you and your family from the risk of fire."

Drengenberg also offered these tips for purchasing, maintaining and installing smoke alarms:

--  When you purchase a smoke alarm, look for the UL Mark.  The symbol indicates representative samples of the alarm have met UL's stringent safety standards;

--  You may need several smoke alarms to adequately protect your family. Install at least one on every level of your home, including the basement and outside each sleeping area;

--  If you or family members sleep with the bedroom door closed, install smoke alarms inside the bedroom;

--  Some individuals, particularly children, older people, and those with special needs, may not wake up to the sound of a smoke alarm.  You should be aware of this when developing a home fire escape plan;

--  Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing smoke alarms;

--  Test smoke alarms at least once a month;

--  Don't disconnect a smoke alarm or "borrow" the batteries;

--  Replace batteries in all smoke alarms twice a year;

--  Replace the smoke alarm every 10 years, or as the manufacturer recommends.

To download the full report by Bukowski visit http://smokealarm.nist.gov.

Caution Urged in Use of Candles

Theme of National Fire Protection Week 2005

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is urging the public to focus on candle safety during its Fire Prevention Week 2005, October 9-15. As the theme makes clear, emphasis is placed on the need for increased consumer caution: “Use Candles with Care: When you go out, blow out!”

NFPA’s public safety campaign and related materials concentrate on home use of candles, which represent a uniquely residential concern. Nine out of 10 reported U.S. candle fires occur in homes.

Reported home candle fires rose 15 percent from 2000 to 2001, from 15,700 to 18,000, continuing a climb that began in 1990 when there were 5,500 candle fires. (Download NFPA's report, "Home Candle Fires" for free (PDF, 144 KB)

Forty-one percent of home candles fires start in the bedroom, resulting in a quarter of associated fire deaths. Eleven percent of the home candle fires start after someone falls asleep. NFPA’s research also shows that home candle fires follow a seasonal pattern. December has almost twice the number of home candle fires of an average month. 

Leaving candles unattended and using candles for light were singled out in NFPA’s analysis as serious fire problems. Always stay awake and in the room where candles are being burned. In a power outage, it is safer to use flashlights or other light sources generated by batteries. Never use a candle for light when checking pilot lights or fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern, as the flame could ignite flammable vapors.

Detailed information about home candle fires and trends, and specific fire safety advice to prevent candle fires, can be found in NFPA’s Home Candle Fire report, available on NFPA’s official Fire Prevention Week Web site. The Web site is home to a wide selection of free fire safety information.

Fire Prevention Week – Web site

Fight Fire with the Facts October 9 - 15 is Fire Prevention Week: A Great Time To Practice Your Family Fire Safety Plan View Video Here are some startling facts: fire kills more than 4,200 Americans every year and injures another 25,000. What’s more, children five and younger are twice as likely to die in a home fire. But with a little practice and vigilance, your home can be the safe haven you expect it to be.

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