Record Breaking Cold Brings Record Breaking Home Fire Fatalities

2018-01-19
By: Denise Koslowsky

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Between January 1, 2018 and January 18, 2018, 221 people in the US died as a result of a fire at home.  That is an increase of 60% over 2017.  Statistics show that the cold weather makes people spend more time indoors and more time spent indoors naturally increases the instance of home fires. The good news is that a majority of home fires are preventable when you take steps to minimize your risks.  With some proactive steps we can affect change so that the number of home fires reduces, instead of increases next year.

Most of the messaging regarding home fire safety focuses on the importance of having a working smoke detector.  Without one, you are at the mercy of a neighbor noticing the fire and contacting the fire and police department.  This can create a considerable lag in response time and when it comes to fires, time is not on your side.  While smoke detectors are certainly effective and save lives, there is more you can do to protect your family.

We recommend that every home have a Central Station Fire and Burglar Alarm

The advantage of a Central Station Fire Alarm is that when a fire starts in your home the alarm company and the fire department are contacted right away.  The reduction in lag time when a central station fire alarm is installed is dramatic and life saving.  There is no reason to put your family’s life at risk.  Especially when you consider that insurance companies often provide a significant discount for the proper installation of a central station fire and burglar alarm system. Educating each client we serve is important to us at Advocate Brokerage.  If you have questions or need help with fire safety resources, please get in touch with us at 914-723-7100.

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