Risky, careless behaviors in the home increase the chances of a deadly fire

HARTFORD, Conn —According to The Hartford’s Home Fire Index, Savannah ranks No. 20 among the 100 U.S. cities with the highest home fire risk. The Index is based on an analysis of the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and a survey conducted by The Hartford on fire safety and prevention behaviors among the general population.

Many Savannah residents engage in behaviors that can increase the risk of a home fire according to The Hartford survey. Charging a phone overnight is considered moderate risk, yet charging a phone overnight on your bed, leaving your kitchen with the stove on, or leaving a room with a candle burning are consid- ered high risk. The survey found that 43 percent admitted they had charged a device (e.g., cell phone, tablet, laptop) in or on their bed overnight in the past year — compared with 34 percent nationally, 57 percent said that in the past year, they have left the kitchen while cooking something on a stove — compared with 58 percent nationally — 45 percent revealed that they have left a room with a candle lit at least once over the past year — compared with 37 percent nationally.

The Junior Fire Marshal program was started in 1947 by an employee of The Hartford. Since the program’s inception, The Hartford has deputized more than 110 million Junior Fire Marshals. The program teaches lifesaving lessons such as Stop, Drop and Roll, Go Low in Smoke and Draw a Home Fire Escape Plan. These lessons, along with other fun, engaging and educational activities, help parents and teachers have meaningful and vital fire safety conversations with children and students.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, NFIRS is a voluntary reporting system run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency based on data submitted by fire departments from around the country. The data was standardized based on population size and adjusted as needed to reflect the voluntary nature of the data within the system.

For more information about The Hartford’s Home Fire Index and Junior Fire Marshal Program, visit www.thehartford.com/jfm.