Heating is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, and the third leading cause of home fire deaths. Local fire departments responded to an estimated average of 48,530 fires involving heating equipment per year in 2014-2018, accounting for 14% of all reported home fires during this time. These fires resulted in annual losses of 500 civilian deaths, 1,350 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.
Social media messages
Use our sample social media posts on heating safety on your Facebook, Twitter on Instagram account.
- Half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January & February. Stay safe: http://ow.ly/W1LuP
- Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths. Please review @NFPA's safety information: http://ow.ly/W1LuP #WinterSafety
- Keep anything that can burn at least 3ft from heating equip (furnace, fireplace, wood stove, portable heater) http://ow.ly/W1LhI
- Read all of NFPA's heating safety tips & download our free safety tip sheet: http://ow.ly/W1LuP #WinterSafety
- With a few simple safety tips & precautions you can prevent most heating fires from happening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS5xGfRO-Tw
- In this video, tips are given in American #SignLanguage for staying safe & warm while heating your home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCtnLC6-JPg
- Have heating equipment & chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. http://ow.ly/W266z #WinterSafety
- Give space heaters space! They account for 4 out of 5 home heating fire deaths: http://ow.ly/W279j #WinterSafety
- Everyone's favorite guy, Dan Doofus, teaches us some important safety lessons about heating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BqR4WNd3lA
- The @NFPA’s easy to read safety tip sheet on heating is available in 9 additional languages! http://ow.ly/W28mE #Farsi #Chinese #Arabic
Dan Doofus learns some important safety lessons about home heating.
Heating fire facts
Based on 2014-2018 annual averages:
- Most home heating fire deaths (81%) involved stationary or portable space heaters.
- The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (25%) was failure to clean, principally from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys.
- Half of the home heating fire deaths were caused by having heating equipment to close too things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing mattresses or bedding.
- Nearly half (48%) of all home heating fires occurred in December, January and February.
Source: NFPA Applied Research
In this presentation, tips are given in American sign language for staying safe and warm while heating the home.