Fire prevention is a term for the many safety measures used to keep harmful fires from starting. Each year, about 2 1/2 million fires are reported in the United States. The fires cause about 9,000 deaths and billions of dollars worth of damage. More than a fourth of all the people killed or injured by fire are children.

Individuals, groups, and communities work to prevent fires. They use three main methods: (1) laws and regulations, (2) inspection of buildings and other property, and (3) public education about fire safety.

Most cities and states have codes and standards that require certain types of fire retardant materials and electric wiring to be used in buildings. Fire departments and other public agencies inspect public buildings for fire hazards and recommend corrective action. In some communities, homeowners may agree to have their homes inspected for fire hazards. Education is a vital part of fire prevention programs because people cause, and could prevent, almost all fires. Fire departments, community groups, and schools teach children and adults about fire hazards and work to reduce fires throughout the community.

In homes and schools, trash, old clothes, drapes, and furniture should be discarded, not stored in attics, basements, or closets. They could quickly catch fire in those places. Such liquids as gasoline and paint burn easily and should be stored in tightly closed cans, away from heat. Gasoline should not be stored indoors, and it must never be used to start a barbecue fire or bonfire.

In old homes and schools, an electrician should regularly check electric wiring and replace any that appears weak or worn. An electrician should also replace cords on electric appliances as soon as the outside coverings become worn. Cords should never be run under carpeting, where they might become damaged and set the carpeting on fire. A fire can also result from overloading one outlet with several appliances.

Many types of fabrics burn easily. Wise parents teach children to avoid clothing fires by not standing near lighted stoves or bonfires and not playing with matches. Playing with matches causes loss of life and thousands of dollars in damage yearly in the United States.

Fire Prevention History

Fire prevention laws began with building regulations established in ancient times. About 18 B.C., the Roman Emperor Augustus set maximum heights for houses and minimum thicknesses for their walls. Later laws required minimum separations between buildings to prevent fires from spreading from one structure to the next. In the A.D. 300's, Emperor Julian issued controls on the work of blacksmiths and other tradespeople who used fire.

For example, he banned smoking chimneys that could cause roof fires. Princes in parts of Italy and Germany used some of these laws as late as the 1600's.

In the American Colonies, the earliest fire laws dealt with fighting, rather than preventing, fires. But newspapers sometimes advised readers about fire hazards.

In 1896, the National Fire Protection Association was formed to develop national fire codes and standards. The first Fire Prevention Day was observed in the United States in 1911. In 1922, the United States and Canada observed National Fire Prevention Week, the first campaign to educate the public in fire safety. Since then, public education programs have become important supplements to fire prevention laws and inspection programs. Many such programs operate the year around.

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