Burn injury and incidence rates:The following statistics are the latest available from the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and the United States Fire Administration (part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) Injury and death rates:- The majority of fire-related deaths (70 percent) are caused by smoke inhalation of the toxic gases produced by fires. Actual flames and burns only account for about 30 percent of fire-related deaths and injuries.
- The majority of fires that kill or injure children are residential fires.
- The majority of children ages four and younger, who are hospitalized for burn-related injuries, suffer from scald burns (65 percent) or contact burns (20 percent).
- Fires kill about 500 children ages 14 and under each year and injure approximately 40,000 other children.
- In 2003, about 83,300 children 14 and under were treated for burn injuries in hospital emergency rooms.
- Hot tap water scald burns cause more deaths and hospitalizations than any other hot liquid burns. Causes:- The leading cause of home fires and related injuries is home-cooking equipment. However, most fire-related deaths are from residential fires ignited by smoking materials such as cigarettes.
- The leading cause of residential fire-related death and injury among children ages 9 and under is due to carelessness.
- The most common causes of product-related thermal burn injuries among children ages 14 and under are hair curlers, curling irons, room heaters, ovens and ranges, irons, gasoline, and fireworks.
- Most scald burns to children, especially small children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years, are caused by hot foods or liquids spilled in the kitchen, or other areas where food is prepared and served. Where and when:- Over half of children ages 5 and under who die from home fires are asleep at the time of the fire. Another one-third of these children are too young to react appropriately.
- Deadly residential fires are most likely to start in a living or sleeping area.
- Residential fires and related deaths occur more often during cold-weather months, December through February, due to portable or area heating equipment.
- Most child play home fires begin in a bedroom or living room where children are left unattended. The majority of these fires (80 percent) are started by children playing with matches or lighters. Who:- Children in homes without working smoke alarms are at greater risk of fire-related death and injury in the event of a fire.
- Children ages 5 and under are more than twice as likely to die in a fire than any other age group.
Smoke alarm and sprinkler system statistics:- By 1997, the majority of homes (94 percent) in the United States had at least one smoke alarm. However, only three-quarters of all homes had at least one working smoke alarm.
- Automatic sprinkler systems reduce the chance of dying in a residential fire by approximately 73 percent.
- Smoke alarms and sprinkler systems combined can reduce fire-related deaths by 82 percent and injuries by 46 percent. | 