U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 47,820 reported home structure fires involving electrical failure or malfunction 2007-2011. These fires resulted in 455 civilian deaths, 1,518 civilian injuries and $1.5 billion in direct property damage.Facts & Figures•Roughly half (48%) of home electrical failure fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment in 2007-2011.•In 2007-2011, 46% of electrical failure home fires involved other known type of...

Cooking Fire Safety•U.S. Fire Departments responded to an estimated annual average of 156,600 cooking-related fires between 2007-2011, resulting in 400 civilian deaths, 5,080 civilian injuries and $853 million in direct damage.•Two of every five home fires started in the kitchen.•Unattended cooking was a factor in 34% of reported home cooking fires.•Two-thirds of home cooking fires started with ignition of food or other cooking materials.•Ranges accounted for the 57% of ...

Escape Planning•According to an NFPA survey, only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.•Almost three-quarters of Americans do have an escape plan; however, more than half never practiced it.•One-third (32%) of respondents who made an estimate thought they would have at least 6 minutes before a fire in their home would become life threatening. The time available is often less. Only 8% said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm woul...

•Almost three of five (60%) of reported home fire deaths in 2007 to 2011 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.•Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.•In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm, hardwired alarms operated 93% of the time, while battery powered alarms operated only 79% of the time.•When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnec...

This week is Fire Preventions Week and although fire safety is a year long priority, we'll be posting some important reminders this week.Home fires•In 2011, U.S. fire departments responded to 370,000 home structure fires. These fires caused 13,910 civilian injuries, 2,520 civilian deaths, $6.9 billion in direct damage.•On average, seven people died in U.S. home fires per day from 2007 to 2011.•Cooking is the leading cause home fires and home fire injuries, followed heating equ...

The NY State Flashover Training Trailer was brought to Cayuga County for live fire training. Check the Picture Page for more images and information

REMEMBER, WHEN YOU CHANGE THE CLOCKS BACK, CHANGE THE BATTERIES IN YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS!!! KEEP EVEYONE SAFE