As temperatures drop, Tennessee residents look for new ways to stay warm. According to Tennessee Fire Marshall Julie Mix McPeak, some of these methods might be dangerous.
She said that increased use of fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters leads to a “higher number of accidental fire injuries and deaths.” Her office released a report that examined fire-related injuries and deaths in the state and offered ways to prevent them.
RESIDENTIAL BURN-RELATED INJURIES
The report says that 90 percent of fire-related deaths happen at home. By preventing residential fires, it could reduce burn injuries across the state. In 2011, 98 people died and 271 suffered burn injuries in Tennessee fires.
A good way to prevent home fires is to install a working smoke detector. Out of all the homes that had fatal fires in 2011, only 36 percent had functional smoke detectors. The manufacturer of a defective product like a smoke detector might be responsible for injuries and death that occur because the product failed.
PREVENTING BURN INJURIES AND DEATH
To keep you and your family alive in the event of a fire, you can:
- Plan two escape routes from every room, and make sure everyone knows about them
- Make sure your address numbers are easily visible
- Hire a professional to inspect stoves, burners, and space heaters once a year
- Keep children at least three feet away from space heaters and open flames
We hope your family stays warm and safe this winter. If you sustained a critical burn injury through no fault of your own, talk to us about possible solutions. Call (615) 866-3938 or submit a contact form.
“For our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:29