U.S. Fire Administration Kicks Off Campaign To End Home Fire Deaths Caused By Smoking
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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The campaign is designed to alert smokers and those who live with smokers about simple steps they can take to stop the fire before it starts in their home. The USFA, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, is encouraging smokers to "Put It Out. All the Way, Every Time."
"What's important to remember is that smoking home fires can easily be prevented. It just takes a few seconds to light up - and a few seconds to make sure that cigarette is really out. Most smoking-related home fires happen on beds, furniture or in trash when smokers do not put cigarettes all the way out, toss hot ashes in the trash or fall asleep while smoking," said U.S. fire Administrator Greg Cade. "What's important to remember is that smoking home fires can easily be prevented. It just takes a few seconds to light up - and a few seconds to make sure that cigarette is really out."
Cade pointed out that nationally, 23 percent (46 million) of adults are smokers, and in some states that percentage is as high as 28.7 percent.
Every year, about 1,000 people are killed in smoking-related home fires. According to the USFA, one in four people killed in home fires is not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire. In fact, 34 percent were children of the smokers and 25 percent were neighbors or friends of the smokers.
Too often, the victim is the firefighter trying to save them. On Jan. 12, 1992, a 7-year-old Maryland boy died as a result of a fire caused by smoking-related materials, as well as Kenny Hedrick, a volunteer firefighter, who was trapped and died in the basement of that home. Kenny's mother, Cathy Hedrick, director of survivor programs for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, said, "The cause of this tragic fire that took the lives of two innocent victims was a smoldering cigarette in the family room."
To demonstrate how quickly a smoldering cigarette can turn into a raging fire, Chief Cade showed a video demonstration at the campaign launch in Washington, D.C. The video can be seen at www.usfa.dhs.gov/smoking
The Smoking & Home Fires Campaign warns about the dangers of careless smoking and urges smokers to do it outside if they need to smoke. Inside the home, people should use big ashtrays with a stable base and really put the cigarette out, don't just tap it into the ashtray. People should especially make sure their cigarette is fully out if they are drowsy due to medicine or alcohol.[[In-content Ad]]
The campaign is designed to alert smokers and those who live with smokers about simple steps they can take to stop the fire before it starts in their home. The USFA, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, is encouraging smokers to "Put It Out. All the Way, Every Time."
"What's important to remember is that smoking home fires can easily be prevented. It just takes a few seconds to light up - and a few seconds to make sure that cigarette is really out. Most smoking-related home fires happen on beds, furniture or in trash when smokers do not put cigarettes all the way out, toss hot ashes in the trash or fall asleep while smoking," said U.S. fire Administrator Greg Cade. "What's important to remember is that smoking home fires can easily be prevented. It just takes a few seconds to light up - and a few seconds to make sure that cigarette is really out."
Cade pointed out that nationally, 23 percent (46 million) of adults are smokers, and in some states that percentage is as high as 28.7 percent.
Every year, about 1,000 people are killed in smoking-related home fires. According to the USFA, one in four people killed in home fires is not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire. In fact, 34 percent were children of the smokers and 25 percent were neighbors or friends of the smokers.
Too often, the victim is the firefighter trying to save them. On Jan. 12, 1992, a 7-year-old Maryland boy died as a result of a fire caused by smoking-related materials, as well as Kenny Hedrick, a volunteer firefighter, who was trapped and died in the basement of that home. Kenny's mother, Cathy Hedrick, director of survivor programs for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, said, "The cause of this tragic fire that took the lives of two innocent victims was a smoldering cigarette in the family room."
To demonstrate how quickly a smoldering cigarette can turn into a raging fire, Chief Cade showed a video demonstration at the campaign launch in Washington, D.C. The video can be seen at www.usfa.dhs.gov/smoking
The Smoking & Home Fires Campaign warns about the dangers of careless smoking and urges smokers to do it outside if they need to smoke. Inside the home, people should use big ashtrays with a stable base and really put the cigarette out, don't just tap it into the ashtray. People should especially make sure their cigarette is fully out if they are drowsy due to medicine or alcohol.[[In-content Ad]]
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