Fire Prevention
Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
The Colusa Fire Department believes in being proactive rather than reactive when it comes to fire prevention. For businesses, pre-fire planning can help save lives and property both for the business owner as well as the firefighter.
The Fire Department has a pre-fire planning questionnaire that can help local businesses in creating their own pre-fire plan. To download a copy of the pre-fire planning questionnaire, Click Here.
If you have a business in Colusa and have questions about pre-fire planning, contact the Fire Department at
Here are Some Fire Facts
- U.S. fire departments respond to an average of one home fire every 88 seconds.
- Between 2012 and 2016, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 355,400 home structure fires per year. These fires caused 11,670 civilian injuries, 2,560 civilian deaths, and $6.5 billion in direct damage.
- On average, seven people per day die in U.S. home fires.
- Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries.
- In most years in recent decades, smoking has been the leading cause of home fire deaths.
- Cooking (21%) is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries.
- In most years in recent decades, smoking has been the leading cause of home fire deaths.
- Cooking (21%) and heating equipment (19%) were each involved in one in every five home-fire deaths.
- According to an NFPA survey, only one in every three American households has actually developed and practiced a home fire-escape plan.
- While 71% of Americans have an escape plan in case of a fire, only 47% of them have practiced it.
- One-third of American households who made an estimate thought they would have at least six minutes before a fire in their home became threatening. The time available is often less. And only eight% said their first thought upon hearing a smoke alarm would be to get out.
- Smoke alarms provide an early warning of a fire, giving people additional time to escape.
- Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a reported home fire in half.
- Almost three in every five home-fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (40%) or no working smoke alarms (17%).
- When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected, or dead. Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25%)of the smoke alarm failures.
- Interconnected smoke alarms throughout the home increase safety. When one sounds, they all sound. It is especially important to have interconnected alarms if you sleep with the door closed.
- Between 2012 and 2016, U.S. fire departments responded to a per year average of 172,100 home structure fires that involved cooking equipment. These fires caused a per year average of 530 civilian deaths, 5,270 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.
- From 2012 and 2016, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 471 home cooking fires per day.
- Cooking is the second leading cause of home fire deaths.
- Unattended cooking is the leading factor contributing to these fires. Frying poses the greatest risk of fire.
- Ranges, or cooktops, accounted for the majority (63%) of home cooking-fire incidents. Ovens accounted for 13%.
- More than half of all cooking-fire injuries occurred when people tried to fight the fire themselves.
- Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
- From 2012 to 2016, U.S. fire departments responded to 52,050 home structure fires that involved heating equipment. These fires caused 490 civilian fire deaths, 1,400 civilian injuries, and $1 billion in direct property damage.
- The leading factor contributing to home-heating fires (27%) was a failure to clean. This usually involved creosote buildup- in chimneys.
- Most home-heating fire deaths (86%) involved stationary or portable space heaters.
- Nearly half (48%) of all home-heating fires occurred in December, January, and February.
- Fire sprinklers reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 80% and reduce the risk of property loss by 70%.
- Fire sprinkler installation in new homes is cost effective, averaging 1-2% of a home’s total construction cost.
- Only the sprinkler closest to the fire activates, preventing the spread of deadly toxic smoke and fire.
- Home fire sprinklers protect lives by keeping fires small. Sprinklers can reduce the heat, flames, and smoke produced in a fire, allowing people more time to escape.
- Home fire sprinklers activate on an individual basis. Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water on the fire and not the rest of the home.
- A home fire sprinkler can control or put out a fire with a fraction of the water that would be used by fire department hoses.
- Accidental sprinkler discharges are rare.
- Home fire sprinklers can be installed in new or existing homes. If you are remodeling or building your home, install home fire sprinklers.
- Home fire sprinklers work along with smoke alarms to save lives.
