P.O. Box 237 Uniontown, OH 44685-0237 Phone: 216-447-6331 Website: ohiofsc.org

NEWS

August 2007

Ohio Fire Safety Coalition discusses single family home fire safety and residential fire sprinklers on Clear Channel Communications Network of Radio Stations

During the last two Sundays of July through the first three Sundays of August Clear Channel Communications aired a taped interview with Matthew Kuwatch, executive director of Ohio Fire Safety Coalition (OFSC), on Sunday Magazine with Angela Bellarios of FM 98.1 WKDD.

The interview focused on the current statistics of residential fires in the United States and what can be done to eliminate fires as well as fire deaths and injuries.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, In 2005, there were 1,602,000 fires reported in the United States. These fires caused 3,675 civilian deaths, 17,925 civilian injuries, 87 firefighter deaths, and $10.7 billion in property damage. 511,000 were structure fires, causing 3,105 civilian deaths, 15,325 civilian injuries, and $9.2 billion in property damage. Home fires caused 82% of the civilian fire deaths, and 74% of the civilian fire injuries. Homes include one-and-two family dwellings, apartments, and manufactured homes. Smoking (24%) was the leading cause of death related to a home fire followed by heating equipment (11%), arson (11%), and coking equipment (7%). Cooking equipment (32%) was the number one cause for home fires followed by heating equipment (16%), arson (5%), and candles (4%).

Fire sprinklers save lives, reduce property loss and can even help cut homeowner insurance premiums. Installing both smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82%, relative to having neither. Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly on the fire. Ninety percent of fires are contained by the operation of just one sprinkler.

Nationally, on average, home fire sprinkler systems add 1% to 1.5% of the total building cost in new construction. Home fire sprinklers use only a fraction of the water used by fire department hoses. Home fire sprinkler systems are at least as reliable as home plumbing systems. Modern residential sprinklers are inconspicuous and can be mounted flush with walls or ceilings.

Further information on fire protection and residential fire sprinklers can be obtained through the resource page on www.ohiofsc.org. Click on links to the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition and the National Fire Protection Association for further information.

The Sunday Magazine program is featured on FM 98.1 WKDD, FM 101.7 WHOF, FM 106.9 WRQK, 1350 AM AND 640 AM. These stations cover Northern Ohio and have a combined listener base of over 3 million people.