The state of Indiana has seen a decline in the number of deaths related to fires, a figure that dropped from 78 in 2016 down to 70 for 2017. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) Division of Fire and Building Safety is praising local first responders across the state for their efforts in working to make Hoosiers more safe.
“It is tragic to see anyone injured or killed in a fire but we’re encouraged to see that fewer people were affected this year,” said Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson. “We applaud the first responders throughout Indiana who have worked day and night to not only protect fellow Hoosiers, but also to better educate their communities on the importance of fire safety.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2009 to 2013 in the United States, two out of five fire deaths occurred in homes where no smoke alarms were present, and one out of every five fire deaths occurred in homes where smoke alarms were present but failed to operate. The NFPA has also found that, households with smoke alarms that don’t work are beginning to outnumber the households with no alarms.
In an effort to provide safety to Hoosiers, local fire departments across the state have continued to make smoke detectors available to their communities. Many departments have worked alongside the American Red Cross to help install working smoke alarms in Hoosier homes, as well as provide educational material on fire safety. A second partnership through the Indiana Builders Association provided additional smoke alarms to local fire departments for installation..
Through the work of these partnerships, local fire departments and the American Red Cross have been able to install 31,851 smoke alarms and serve over 44,000 Hoosiers since the program began in October of 2014.
For more information on fire safety, visit GetPrepared.IN.gov. Follow IDHS on social media on Twitter @idhs and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianaDHS/
