Fire is still a very real and present danger. In 2020, fire departments in the U.S. responded to a fire every 23 seconds. That same year, firefighters responded to an estimated 1.4 million fires that resulted in 3,500 civilian fire fatalities and an estimated $29.1 billion in property damage.
Flame Retardants Protect Our Most Vulnerable Populations
Flame retardants add an integral layer of protection for children, seniors, and their families by reducing the risk of fires or slowing their spread.
Children
Fire statistics show that children are more susceptible to injury or death from fire than the average person.
Fires and burns have been found to be the third leading cause of unintentional death among children 14 and under.
Senior Citizens
Fire safety is also a critical issue for senior citizens. Older adults continue to experience a disproportionate share of fire deaths. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2030, more than 20 percent of U.S. residents are projected to be aged 65 and over, compared with 13 percent in 2010 and 9.8 percent in 1970.
In an analysis of data collected under the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFRIRS), USFA concluded the following:
- Older adults continue to experience a disproportionate share of fire deaths. In 2010, older adults (age 65 or older) represented 13 percent of the United States population but suffered 35 percent of all fire deaths.
- The relative risk of individuals age 65 or over dying in a fire was 2.7 times greater than that of the general population.
- Older males were 62 percent more likely to die in fires than older females.
- Older American Indians/Alaska Natives and African-Americans were at a much greater risk of dying in a fire than their Asian/Pacific Islander or white fellow citizens.
- Older adults were more vulnerable in a fire than the general population due to a combination of factors including mental and physical frailties, greater use of medications, and elevated likelihood of living in a poverty situation.
Low-Income Populations
Low-income populations are prone to fire injury or death due to substandard housing that may lack fire-safety measures such as working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. Comprehensive fire safety measures, including those that ensure fires do not start in these homes, help keep people safe.
Low-income groups are one of the groups at higher risk from dying in a fire than the rest of the population. Socioeconomic studies show an inverse relationship between fire risk and income. Children in low-income populations are exposed to the greatest risk. Substandard housing, crowded conditions, and the increased likelihood of children left alone, compared to affluent households, contribute to this risk.
Flame retardants add an integral layer of protection for all populations by reducing the risk of fires or slowing their spread.
Product Recalls
Fires are a safety issue the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) considers when evaluating product safety. The CPSC issued over 70 recalls for fire hazards covering nearly 10 million units of consumer products in 2018. The changing nature of consumer products with the use of more flammable materials has increased the risk of fire safety, particularly with the proliferation of electronics and electrical equipment. Fire safety standards have been developed to ensure public safety. Flame retardants are an important tool to help reduce fire risk.
Research and Standards Impact
Research shows how product fire standards impact the severity of room content fires.
In this video, everyday individuals were shown side-by-side rooms constructed to simulate a living area commonly involved in a house fire. Unbeknownst to the participants, one room was designed to meet fire standards set by the United Kingdom, while the other was designed to meet U.S. fire safety standards.
Watch this video to see the results. As demonstrated in this video, robust fire safety codes and product safety standards can dramatically affect overall fire conditions. Learn more.
Time to Max Smoke and Time to Flash Over (Demonstrating Escape Time) from Great Britain/United Kingdom, France, and U.S. Combustions (2019 data)
The wide variety in country-specific fire codes can dramatically affect the fire safety of home furnishings, resulting in more or less escape time from structure fires. This study used three replicates of identical rooms for each of the countries tested (France, United Kingdom, US). The United Kingdom has what is probably the most demanding fire standard for furniture in the world.
