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Install. Inspect. Protect.
U.S. Fire Association campaign on smoke alarms.
Hot Hay Alert
Fact sheet on preventing fires in barns where hay is stored.
Devastating fires can occur in homes and other structures, as well as in forests, grasslands, and other open spaces. They result from carelessness, faulty equipment, a deliberate act, natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and extreme weather events. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires, but fires related to smoking cause the most deaths in homes.
A house fire can become life-threatening within two minutes. In five minutes, a home can be fully engulfed in flames. Smoke alarms, with charged batteries, and having planned escape routes that all family members know are important life-saving measures.
U.S. Fire Administration Fire safety information for citizens.
Smoke alarms Smoke alarms save lives.
Fire Safety Resources
Home Fires – Ready.gov
Home Fire Safety – American Red Cross
Fire Prevention Information – U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)
UF/IFAS Extension Disaster Handbook (PDF) – University of Florida
Fire safety educational activities for children – NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC)
Wildfires
As more people choose to build homes on hillsides, in heavily wooded areas, and on prairies, the potential to be exposed to a wildfire increases. Wildfires are most often the result of a lightning strike or an accident but they spread quickly in areas heavy with vegetation. The smoke, which is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and plants, can be very hazardous during a wildfire to people with chronic heart or lung conditions.
Wildfire basics – Extension Disaster Education Network
Protecting your family and pets from wildfires – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Firewise Communities Program is a resource for agencies, organizations, Native American tribes, and communities in the U.S. who are working toward the reduction of lives and property caused by wildfires.
Recovery Resources
Assisting farmers and rural residents – USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
After the Fire, Returning to Normal – USFA
