Fire Prevention

Home Fire Prevention
Home Fire Safety for Older Adults

Home Fire Prevention

Electrical failure or malfunction is a leading cause of home fires year after year. Yet, many home electrical fires can be prevented simply by understanding basic electrical safety principles and following safe practices.

Prevention Strategies

Understand the basics of your home electrical system
Install advanced electrical safety technologies
Properly maintain your electrical system and components
Identify and correct potential electrical hazards

Preparation Strategies

Install smoke alarms according to current recommendations
Test smoke alarms every month
Prepare a fire escape plan
Have two ways out of each room
Practice your fire escape plan with fire drills

Featured Resources for Home Fire Prevention

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ESFI Space Heater Virtual Demonstration

Portable electric space heaters can be a convenient source of supplemental heat for your home in cold weather, but they...

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Smoke Alarms, Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Fire Escape Planning

Smoke Alarms Carbon Monoxide Alarms Fire Escape Planning Smoke Alarms On average, 8 people die in a home fire each...

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Home Electrical Fires

Facts and Statistics Home electrical fires account for an estimated 51,000 fires each year, nearly than 500 deaths, more than...

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Fire Prevention Week Resource List

Fires happen every day, and the toll they take on our lives is boundless. Electrical failure or malfunction is a leading cause of home fires year after year. It is incredibly important to arm yourself and your loved ones with tools to fight them, of which knowledge is among the most critical. Below you will find a collection of new and updated safety materials from ESFI to help you both prepare to be fire safe and establish good electrical safety habits.

ESFI's Virtual Fire Drill

This video game-style simulation delivers all of the information necessary for the development of an effective fire safety plan and allows users to put their newfound knowledge to the test by “escaping” from a virtual fire.

Home Fire Safety for Older Adults

The U.S. fire problem is severe. Each year, home fires result in a significant number of deaths and injuries. Older adults (ages 65+) are burdened with the gravest fire risk and are consistently more threatened with injury or death by fire than any other age group. Raising awareness among older adults is the key to reducing home fires and preventing deaths. This home fire safety awareness program provides tools to educate older adults and their families nationwide about home fire hazards related to cooking, heating, and electrical equipment. The critical importance of smoke alarms and fire escape planning are also reinforced.

These program resources were developed with funds provided by a FY 2011 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of a multi-generational fire safety awareness campaign, which encourages family members of all ages to work together to identify and correct potential home fire hazards.