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• United States Fire Administration: Fire Statistics [website]

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  This website offers data and statistics on the following topics: "1) U.S. Fire Administration Fire Estimates 2) National Fire Protection Association Estimates 3) U.S. Fire Death Rate Trends 4) State Fire Death Rates 5) Wildfire".

  United States Fire Administration
• Rural Fire Problem in the United States

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  "This report summarizes the findings from an extensive analysis of the fire problem in rural areas of the U.S. While there are many similarities between fires in rural and non-rural areas, there are also many differences. Some of the differences, such as the higher incidence of heating fires in rural areas, point to issues that need to be considered when designing public education programs to reduce the number of fires and the deaths, injuries, and property loss associated with rural fires. For the purposes of this report, 'rural' is defined as all counties that have populations of fewer than 20,000 persons and that are generally not adjacent to metropolitan areas."

  United States Fire Administration

  1997-08
• Fire in the United States 1989-1998: Twelfth Edition

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  "Each year, the National Fire Data Center (NFDC) of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) publishes a running 10-year statistical overview of the fires in the United States,with focus on the latest year in which data were available at the time of preparation. This report is designed to arm the fire service and others with information that motivates corrective action, sets priorities, targets specific fire programs, serves as a model for state and local analyses of fire data, and provides a baseline for evaluating programs. This Twelfth Edition of Fire in the Unites States covers the 10-year period from 1989 to 1998, with emphasis on 1998. The primary source of data is from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) annual survey results, mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), data from State Fire Marshals Offices or their equivalents, and statistics from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Consumer Price Index are also used. Because of the time it takes for the states to send data to USFA from nearly 13,000 fire departments that participate in NFIRS, then edit and obtain corrections and analyze and display the results, the publication lags the date of data collection. Fortunately, the fire problem does not change very rapidly so the data are usually quite representative of the situation in the year of publication as well."

  United States Fire Administration

  2001-08
• Fire in the United States 1992-2001: Thirteenth Edition

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  "The National Fire Data Center (NFDC) of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) periodically publishes Fire in the United States -a running 10-year statistical overview of the fires in the United States with the focus on the latest year in which data were available at the time of preparation. This report is designed to arm the fire service and others with information that motivates corrective action, sets priorities, targets specific fire programs, serves as a model for state and local analyses of fire data, and provides a baseline for evaluating programs. This Thirteenth Edition covers the 10-year period from 1992 to 2001, with emphasis on 2001. The primary source of data is from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) annual survey results, mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), data from state fire marshals offices or their equivalents, and statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Consumer Price Index are also used. Because of the time it takes for states to submit data to USFA from the thousands of fire departments that participate in NFIRS, then edit and obtain corrections, and analyze and display the results, the publication lags the date of data collection. Fortunately, the fire problem does not change very rapidly so the data are usually quite representative of the situation in the year of publication as well."

  United States Fire Administration

  2004-10
• Fire in the United States 1985-1994: Ninth Edition

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  "This report is designed to arm the fire service and others with a statistical overview of the fire problem that can motivate corrective action. It can also be used to select priorities and help target fire programs, serve as a model for state or local analyses of fire data, and provide a baseline for evaluating programs. This Ninth Edition of Fire in the United States covers the 10-year period from 1985 to 1994, with emphasis on 1994- the most recent year for which complete data are available at the time of printing. The primary source of data in this report is the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), but National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) annual survey results and data from the state fire marshals are also used. Because of the time it takes to collect data from nearly the 14,000 fire departments that participate in NFIRS, edit and obtain corrections, and analyze and display the results, the date of publication lags the date of collection. Previous editions of Fire in the United States have included a state-by-state analysis and presentation of state fire statistics. This chapter has been omitted from this edition. Instead, a separate volume will be published later in 1997 that is devoted entirely (and more exhaustively than in the past) to state fire profiles."

  United States Fire Administration

  1997-07
• High-Rise Office Building Fire, One Meridian Plaza, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (February 23, 1991)

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  "This report on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, One Meridian Plaza fire documents one of the most significant high-rise fires in United States' history. The fire claimed the lives of three Philadelphia firefighters and gutted eight floors of a 38-story fire-resistive building causing an estimated $100 million in direct property loss and an equal or greater loss through business interruption. Litigation resulting from the fire amounts to an estimated $4 billion in civil damage claims. Twenty months after the fire this building, one of Philadelphia's tallest, situated on Penn Square directly across from City Hall, still stood unoccupied and fire-scarred, its structural integrity in question. This fire is a large scale realization of fire risks that have been identified on many previous occasions. The most significant new information from this fire relates to the vulnerability of the systems that were installed to provide electrical power and to support fire suppression efforts. In this incident there was an early loss of normal electrical power, a failure of the emergency generator and a major problem with the standpipe system, each of which contributed to the final outcome. These experiences should cause responsible individuals and agencies to critically reexamine the adequacy of all emergency systems in major buildings."

  United States Fire Administration

  Routley, J. Gordon; Jennings, Charles; Chubb, Mark

  1999
• Development of a Rapid Damage Assessment Guideline for the Warwick Fire Department

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  "The problem was the Warwick Fire Department did not have a rapid damage assessment guideline to assess damages in an accurate and timely manner. The purpose of this research paper was to develop a standard operating guideline. Action research was used to answer the following research questions: 1. What type of large scale emergency or disaster is the City of Warwick likely to encounter ? 2. What is the importance and purpose of conducting a rapid damage assessment? 3. What is the purpose of a rapid damage assessment guideline? 4. What do Warwick Fire Department fire fighters know about damage assessment? Procedures included a literature review, survey instrument and interviews with local experts. Recommendations included implementation of this procedure, reinstating district inspections, training of fire department and other agency personnel, updating the Emergency Operations Plan and developing an Emergency Operation Center Plan."

  United States Fire Administration

  Colantonio, Francis, Jr.

  2006-10
• Executive Analysis of Fire Service Operations in Emergency Management: Building a Family Support System for City Employees in Times of Disaster

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  This report published by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) discusses the need to establish family support mechanisms for city employees during disasters. The following is take from the report. "The Hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast of September, 2005 brought to light the needs of responder's families. Sioux City had no plan in place to care for the family members of employees during disasters. The purpose of this research is to implement a plan for family support in times of disaster. Action research methodology was used to: (a) find best practices from other jurisdictions, (b) assess the needs of Sioux City employees, and (c) discover what changes can be incorporated into the city EOP. Based on research findings changes were made to the EOP to allow for designation of a dependent care officer, family disposition logs, and improved information to employees on disaster preparedness through the city's web site." This report also includes six appendices.

  United States Fire Administration

  Clark, James R., Jr.

  2006-09
• Reducing Variance for Special Event Planning

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  From the Abstract: "The purpose of this research was to determine what changes could be made operationally in order to reduce the variance for planning when special events are conducted within the Town of Addison. Descriptive research was used to answer the following questions: a) How do other emergency response organizations plan for special events? (b) What national standards are there regarding planning for special events? (c) What special events take place in the Town of Addison and what are the associated risks that they present? (d) What other agencies should be involved in planning for special events held in the town of Addison. The research integrated a questionnaire that was sent to members of the Texas Fire Chief's Association and to some subject matter experts to identify how other emergency response agencies, in a similar region of the country, plan for special events. The research included interviews with some of the leaders of the AFD [Addison Fire Department] and personal communications with others involved in special event planning. Consistencies and important planning considerations were acknowledged in the study. Hazards and potential problems associated with a lack of preparedness were identified. A list of recommendations was established to aid in operational changes in order to reduce the variance for planning when special events are conducted within the Town of Addison. The recommendations included establishing a planning team, including training into the planning process, incorporating standardized form usage, weather monitoring, regular and deliberate communication with mutual aid responders and performing post incident analysis reviews."

  United States Fire Administration

  Jones, David

  2014?
• Special Report: Fire Departments and Maritime Interface Area Preparedness

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  "Waterfronts, where commercial, industrial, and recreational activities are established, are part of our critical infrastructure. They are facilities, systems, and networks essential to the health, safety, and economic well-being of the United States. These maritime interface areas are protected by the local emergency services agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and sometimes, industrial fire brigades. This report addresses fire department preparedness for incidents in maritime areas and the importance of establishing a multiagency response capability that includes law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), port authorities, the private sector, and emergency management agencies. Stakeholders in maritime emergency preparedness include Federal, State, and local governments as well as commercial private-sector entities and labor organizations. In many communities, these stakeholders only recently have begun working together for disaster preparedness and emergency response planning. […] Protecting ports and terminals from the risks of natural disasters, accidents, and terrorism is a significant challenge to our Nation's disaster preparedness and emergency response agencies, not only at the local level but for the Federal Government as well. In addition to the aforementioned commerce-related importance of ports, ports also are key locations for recreation, tourism, and employment through myriad related businesses. Such businesses include land-based transportation of goods to and from ports, construction and maintenance of port facilities and equipment, and the actual operations of the port and vessels. Ports are multi-model transportation centers where rail and truck and off-loading operations are tied to maritime commerce."

  United States Fire Administration

  Stambaugh, Hollis; Laun, Joseph

  2009-08
• Voice Radio Communications Guide for the Fire Service [October 2008]

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  "The national security system must be massively reorganized if federal agencies are to cooperate and collaborate more effectively to combat the multitude of threats facing the U.S. in the 21st century, according to recommendations released today by the Project on National Security Reform (PNSR). The PNSR recommendations outlined in Forging A New Shield would replace a national security system created 60 years ago, that despite many marginal attempts to reform, often discourages agencies from working together on joint assignments and policy implementation to respond to crises and effectively manage national security affairs. The recommendations comprise a broad set of mandates to improve the national security system by streamlining integrated strategy and policy among agencies and programs, improving coordination with a newly established network for sharing information, providing better job training for employees and consolidating Congressional oversight, the report says. The life safety of both firefighters and citizens depends on reliable, functional communication tools that work in the harshest and most hostile of environments. Firefighters operate in extreme environments that are markedly different from those of any other radio users. Firefighters operate lying on the floor; in zero visibility, high heat, high moisture, and wearing self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) facepieces that distort the voice. They are challenged further by bulky safety equipment, particularly gloves, that eliminate the manual dexterity required to operate portable radio controls. Firefighters operate inside structures of varying sizes and construction types."

  United States Fire Administration

  2008-10
• Emergency Preparedness for Responders and Their Families: Are We Ready?

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  This report published by the U.S. Fire Administration discusses the need to identify criteria for "developing a guide for emergency responders and their families." The following is taken from the report. "The purpose of this research is to identify the criteria for developing a guide for emergency responders and their families in the event of a multi-day deployment. This was a combination of descriptive and action research methodology. [...]. As a result of this research the author found that the Portage Fire Department, like most agencies had not contemplated how a multi-day, large-scale event would affect it's personnel, families of the personnel, and the department. The recommendation, based on this study, was for the Portage Fire Department to develop additional Standard Operating Guidelines to enhance departmental readiness to respond to large-scale incidents and support the families of deployed members. [...]. The author reviewed past Applied Research Projects (ARP), fire service periodicals, texts, journals, and Internet resources. Additionally, two feedback instruments were developed to poll fire service agencies and emergency responders within the United States. As a result of this research the author found that the Portage Fire Department, like most agencies had not contemplated how a multi-day, large-scale event would affect it's [sic] personnel, families of the personnel, and the department. The recommendation, based on this study, was for the Portage Fire Department to develop additional Standard Operating Guidelines to enhance departmental readiness to respond to large-scale incidents and support the families of deployed members."

  United States Fire Administration

  Hudson, Robert M.

  2005-01
• U.S. Fire Administration Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services

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  "Firefighting is one of the Nation's most dangerous and hazardous jobs, with heart attacks, high physical stress levels, sprains, and strains all too common. Of all firefighters in the United States, 72 percent are volunteers. The leading cause of on-duty death among volunteers is heart attack. The leading cause of injuries for all firefighters is overexertion and strain. The prevalence of cardiovascular illness and deaths and work-inhibiting strains and sprains among firefighters illustrates the need for a comprehensive health and wellness program in every department. The fire service realizes that health and wellness programs benefit individual firefighters and the fire and emergency services as a whole; such programs can yield safer and more effective action by first responders to emergencies. Many organizations have addressed the issue of health and wellness in the fire service. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) redeveloped its health and wellness standards in 2003. Since 1997, several career departments have worked with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) on a wellness initiative. To address the issues specific to volunteers, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) developed this guide to health and wellness for volunteer departments and members. In 2003, the NVFC launched the ground breaking Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program specifically to address heart disease in the fire and emergency services. This awareness and prevention campaign targets all firefighters and emergency personnel-both volunteer and career."

  United States Fire Administration

  2009-02
• Evacuation and Shelter Instructions for Residents of Large Apartment Buildings

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  This report summarizes the findings from a survey about how to evacuate people from high rise apartments in the safest and quickest manner.

  United States Fire Administration

  Garino, Damian John

  2003-01
• High-Rise Fire and Life Safety: Hazards and Education for Older Adults

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  This report summarizes the findings from a survey about how to evacuate people from high rise apartments in the safest and quickest manner.

  United States Fire Administration

  Blackley, William F.

  2006-12
• Wildland Fires: A Historical Perspective

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  "Fire is a natural environmental phenomenon and has been an integral part of our ecosystem for millennia. The population and development of North America has repeatedly brought humans into contact with fire in all manner of circumstances including wildland fires. Over the past 400 years, Americans as a society have grown to fear all forms of fire and have sought ways to suppress it as completely as possible. Wildland fires, however, pose unique challenges to the fire service and require vastly different approaches to its prevention, mitigation, and suppression. As more people choose to leave the cities and build their homes in the 'wildland/ urban' interface, it is critical that these concerns are addressed. Natural wildland fires are generally caused by lightning, which strikes the earth an average of 100 times each second or 3 billion times every year1 and has caused some of the most notable wildland fires in the United States (e.g., Yellowstone in 1988). Other natural causes include sparks from falling rocks and volcanic activity."

  United States Fire Administration

  2001-12
• One- and Two-Family Residential Building Fires

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  "This topical report describes characteristics and trends in one- and two-family residential building fires reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) from 2005 to 2007, the most recent data available at the time of the analysis. It is useful by itself and as a point of comparison with other residential building categories. Most one- and two-family residential building fires (62 percent) are larger, nonconfined fires, that is, fires that are not contained in pots, stoves, garbage containers, or other containers that confine them. Fires in other types of residential buildings, by contrast, are mostly small 'confined' or contained fires (65 percent). One- and two-family residential building fires also differ from other residential building fires in their cause profiles. While cooking accounts for the cause of 30 percent of all one- and two-family residential building fires, cooking fires play a much larger role in other types of residential buildings, accounting for over 60 percent of fires. Heating and electrical malfunctions (short circuits, arcing, and the like) play a larger role in one- and two-family residential building fires as well."

  United States Fire Administration

  2010-06
• Multifamily Residential Building Fires

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  "A major difference in the multifamily residential building fire profile is seen in cooking fires. Cooking is the cause of 65 percent of multifamily residential building fires-twice that of other residential buildings. Multifamily residential buildings also tend to have central heating systems that are maintained by professionals and not the homeowner, thus there are fewer heating fires from poor maintenance or misuse than in one- and two-family homes. As well, fire problems related to fireplaces, chimneys, and fireplace-related equipment tend to occur less often in multifamily heating fires since multifamily residential buildings generally lack these features. Finally, multifamily residential buildings usu¬ally have fewer fires caused by electrical problems due to the construction materials, building codes, and professional maintenance. As part of a series of Topical Reports that addresses fires in the major residential building types, the remainder of this topical report addresses the characteristics of multifamily residential building fires reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). The focus is on fires reported from 2005 to 2007, the most recent data available TFRS Volume 10, Issue 6/Multifamily Residential Building Fires."

  United States Fire Administration

  2010-05
• Vacant Residential Building Fires

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  "This topical report addresses the characteristics of vacant residential building fires reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) from 2006 to 2008. Vacant residential building fires, as analyzed in this report, include properties where the building is under construction, under major renovation, vacant and secured, vacant and unsecured, and being demolished. The remaining building status categories (occupied and operating; idle, not routinely used; building status, other; and undetermined) are considered 'nonvacant' but not necessarily occupied. For the purpose of this report, the terms 'residential fires' and 'vacant residential fires' are synonymous with 'residential building fires' and 'vacant residential building fires,' respectively. 'Vacant residential fires' is used through-out the body of this report; the findings, tables, charts, headings, and footnotes reflect the full category, 'vacant residential building fires.'"

  United States Fire Administration

  2010-08
• Highrise Fires

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  "Each year between 1996 and 1998, there were an estimated 15,500 highrise structure fires in the United States. From data reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), these fires were responsible for 930 civilian injuries, 60 civilian fatalities, and nearly $252.3 million in property loss annually. In the wake of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, highrise fires and highrise firefighting tactics have assumed a more prominent role in the consciousness of the U.S. fire service and American society as a whole. This report briefly examines the causes and characteristics of highrise fires and the challenges inherent in controlling them."

  United States Fire Administration

  2002-01
• Fires in the Wildland/Urban Interface

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  "Current population growth and the expanding development of North America into traditionally nonurban areas have increasingly brought humans into contact with wild-fires. Between 1985 and 1994, wildfires destroyed more than 9,000 homes in the United States. Generally, these homes were located in areas 'where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels,' also known as the wildland/urban interface or intermix (WUI). Both the definition and the development of the WUI are controversial subjects for government officials, developers, and the fire service. By one account, nearly 38% of new home construction in the Western United States is on properties adjacent to or inter-mixed with WUI. Nationally, the continuing development of the WUI raises serious public policy and land use issues. Agencies at the local, state, and federal levels need to work together to define areas as being in the WUI and then to find ways to provide services, including fire protection, to developments on these lands. Moreover, individual communities and homeowners must be willing to accept a high degree of responsibility for protecting their homes from wildfire. This report examines the socioeconomic implications of WUI fires, the unique challenges such fires pose to the fire service, and WUI fire prevention programs."

  United States Fire Administration

  2002-03
• 2000 Wildland Fire Season

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  "In the course of the 2000 wildland fire season, nearly 80,000 fires burned upwards of 7 million acres throughout the United States. Twice the yearly average (Figure 1), these statistics and the devastation caused by wildfire have led President Clinton to make federal disaster assistance available in several western states, including Montana and New Mexico, under major disaster declarations. Over 30,000 personnel, including firefighters from various international, federal, state, and local agencies were involved in efforts to control these fires. According to the USFA National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Data-base, at least 15 firefighters died in 2000 while engaged in wildland firefighting. Many experts predict that some fires will not be completely extinguished without snowfall. By the time this occurs, it is estimated that the value of land lost combined with other economic losses could exceed $10 billion."

  United States Fire Administration

  2001-12
• Fire Risk to Older Adults in 2007

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  Topical Fire Reports "are designed to explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as depicted through data collected in the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Each topical report briefly addresses the nature of the specific fire or fire-related topic, highlights important findings from the data, and may suggest other resources to consider for further information. Also included are recent examples of fire incidents that demonstrate some of the issues addressed in the report or that put the report topic in context." This report examines fire risk to older adults in 2007.

  United States Fire Administration

  2011-02
• Fire Risk in 2004 [February 2008]

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  "The risk from fire is not the same for everyone. Nearly 4,000 deaths and 17,875 injuries in the United States were caused by fire in 2004. These casualties were not distributed equally across the U.S. population, and the resulting risk of death or injury from fire is not uniform-it is more severe for some groups than for others. Much can be learned from understanding why different segments of society are at heightened risk from the fire problem. This Topical Fire Report explores fire risk as it applies to fire casualties in the U.S. population. It is an update to Fire Risk, Volume 4, Issue 7. Risk is a factor, element, or course of action involving uncertainty. It is an exposure to some peril, and it often implies a probability of occurrence, such as investment risk or insurance risk. In terms of the fire problem, risk is the potential for injury or death of a person or damage or loss to property. This topical report focuses on how fire risk, specifically the risk of death and injury, varies with age, and how other demographic and socioeconomic factors weigh upon that risk."

  United States Fire Administration

  2008-02
• Fire Risk

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  "The risk from fire is not the same for everyone. More than 4,000 deaths and 20,300 injuries in the United States were caused by fire in 2001.1 These casualties were not equally distributed across the U.S. population, and the resulting risk of death or injury from fire is not uniform-it is more severe for some groups than for others. Much can be learned from understanding why different segments of society are at heightened risk from the fire problem. Risk is a factor, element, or course of action involving uncertainty. It is an exposure to some peril, and it often implies a probability of occurrence, such as investment risk or insurance risk. In terms of the fire problem, risk is the potential for injury or death of a person or damage or loss to property. This topical report focuses on how fire risk-specifically the risk of death and injury -varies with age and how other demographic and socio−economic factors weigh upon that risk."

  United States Fire Administration

  2004-12
• Residential Smoking Fires and Casualties

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  "Smoking fires in residential properties are often local news media stories.The losses from smoking-caused fires have been consistently high over the past 25 years-the period in which fire cause trends have been tracked. Although one of the less frequent causes of fi res, when smoking fires do occur they are the most deadly.They have consistently been the first or the second leading cause of fire deaths each and every year.This topical report examines the characteristics of smoking fires in residential buildings in 2002. In 2002 alone, lighted tobacco products caused an estimated 14,450 residential fires, 520 deaths, 1,330 injuries, and $371 million in residential property damage. Residential smoking fires are characterized by high levels of loss compared to other types of residential structure fi res.While property loss per fire for residential smoking fires was 22% higher than for residential fires generally in 2002, it is the injury and death rates that were considerably higher than the residential average. As Figure 1 indicates, in 2002, the fire death rate was nearly four times higher than the overall residential fire rate. Likewise, residential smoking fires were more than twice as likely to result in injuries. Each year, smoking fires generally result in the highest fatality rate and among the highest injury rates for residential fires (Figure 2)."

  United States Fire Administration

  2005-06
• Civilian Fire Injuries in Residential Buildings in 2005

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  "Fires that affect our homes are often the most tragic and the most preventable. While the loss of our possessions can be upsetting, the physical and psychological injuries fires inflict are often far more devastating. It is a sad fact, but nearly three-quarters (72%) of all civilian fire injuries occur as a result of fires in residential buildings--our homes. This Topical Fire Report focuses on the characteristics of these injuries. Civilian fire injuries, by definition, involve people who are injured as a result of a fire. These injuries generally occur from activities of fire control, attempting rescue, or escaping from the dangers of the fire. In 2005, someone was injured in a residential building fire every 39 minutes. The latest available data for 2005 show that an estimated 13,375 civilian fire injuries resulted from an estimated 376,500 residential building fires."

  United States Fire Administration

  2008-03
• Fatal Fires [2005]

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  "Of the nearly 1.7 million estimated fires reported annually to fire departments in 2002, an estimated 3,300 claimed the lives of 3,380 civilians. These fatal fires also injured 1,100 civilians and caused more than $159 million in property damage.Of the fatal fires reported in 2002, 86% involved a single fatality, and 10% involved two fatalities. The remaining 4% of fatal fires involved between three and eight fatalities. This report summarizes some of the major characteristics of these fatal fires, with an emphasis on fatal fires in residential structures."

  United States Fire Administration

  2005-03
• Fatal Fires [2002]

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  "Of the nearly 2 million estimated fires reported annually to fire departments between 1996 and 1998, an estimated 3,600 fires claimed the lives of more than 4,300 civilians each year. These fatal fires also injured 1,200 civilians and caused almost $300 million in property damage. Of the fatal fires reported over this 3-year period, 83% involved a single fatality, and 12% involved two fatalities. The remaining 5% of fatal fires involved between three and nine fatalities. This report summarizes some of the major characteristics of fatal fires, with an emphasis on fatal fires in residential structures."

  United States Fire Administration

  2002-02
• Fire Risk to Children in 2004

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  "These short topical reports are designed to explore fac¬ets of the U.S. fire problem as depicted through data collected in USFA's National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Each topical report briefly addresses the nature of the specific fire or fire-related topic, highlights important findings from the data, and may suggest other resources to consider for further information." This edition of the Topical Fire Report Series focuses on fire risk to children in 2004. The findings from this report are: "1) The relative risk of children under age 15 dying in a fire is slightly lower than that for the general population. However, when dividing the young into subgroups, 50% of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5. These children usually are unable to escape from a fire independently. 2) The number of fire injuries also are highest in the under-age-5 bracket, decline in the middle years, but rise again in the 10 to 14 age group. This is a different pattern than deaths, which decrease as children age. 3) Boys are at slightly higher risk of death from fire than girls. 4) African-American and American Indian/Alaska Native children are at an increased risk of death from fire."

  United States Fire Administration

  2008-02