Most misjudge fire risks in homes, high-rises: poll

March 1, 2007
BETHESDA, MD. A nationwide survey conducted in January by the Society for Fire Protection Engineers reveals that 65% of Americans feel safer in their homes than in commercial high-rise buildings, despite the fact that fire-related injuries and deaths are more common in the home. According to U.S. government statistics, 83% of all civilian fire deaths were the result of fires in the home. In 2005,

BETHESDA, MD. — A nationwide survey conducted in January by the Society for Fire Protection Engineers reveals that 65% of Americans feel safer in their homes than in commercial high-rise buildings, despite the fact that fire-related injuries and deaths are more common in the home.

According to U.S. government statistics, 83% of all civilian fire deaths were the result of fires in the home. In 2005, the last year data was available, fire departments responded to 400,000 home fires that resulted in more than 3,000 deaths.

The survey reveals that only 7% of Americans feel safer in a high-rise building than in a home, while 25% don't feel any difference.

The survey reveals that 54% of Americans think about fire and the dangers of fire either on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. However, 44% think about fire just once a year or less.

Another noteworthy finding from the survey reveals that wealthy Americans think about the risk of fire less frequently than those with lower incomes. In the survey, 15% of people with a household income less than $25,000 think about fire on a daily basis, whereas only 8% of those surveyed with a household income of more than $75,000 do.

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