Reports and statistics

Almost all households in the U.S. have at least one smoke alarm, yet in 2003-2006, smoke alarms were present in only two-thirds (69%) of all reported home fires and operated in just under half (47%) of the reported home fires. (“Homes” includes one- and two-family homes, apartments, and manufactured housing.) Forty percent of all home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms, while 23% resulted from homes in which smoke alarms were present but did not operate.

The death rate per 100 reported fires was twice as high in homes without a working smoke alarm as it was in home fires with this protection. Hardwired smoke alarms are more reliable than those powered solely by batteries.

These estimates are based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual fire department experience survey.

NFPA Report

"U.S. Experience with Smoke Alarms and Other Fire Detection/Alarm Equipment" by Marty Ahrens, September 2009.

All visitors: Download this report (PDF 434 KB)
All visitors: Download the executive summary (PDF, 140 KB)
All visitors: Download a fact sheet on smoke alarm statistics (PDF, 94 KB)

More information

Home Smoke Alarms - The Data as Context for Decision (PDF, 85 KB), by Marty Ahrens, Fire Technology, January 2008. Note: The original article is available at Springer's Web site .
In April 2006, the Public/Private Fire Safety Council issued a white paper on "Home Smoke Alarms and Other Fire Detection and Alarm Equipment" (PDF, 370 KB). The Council comprises 16 federal agencies and non-government organizations, including NFPA, created to develop a coordinated national effort to eliminate residential fire deaths by the year 2020.