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Sources for Statistics
Statistics are an important part of fire safety. They help people see just how big a problem residential fires are. But sometimes the big numbers alone aren't very meaningful. Using "social math" can put the numbers in perspective.
For instance, take the fact that 4,000 people a year die in home fires in the United States. That's a big number. But it might mean more if you divide that number by 365 days/year and say that nearly 11 people die every day in a home fire. That's almost one person every 3 hours. Statements like that give the numbers more impact. Social math works on a local level or with a specific group, too.
Example 1:
We know from the CDC WISQARS database that 506 people died in residential fires in Mississippi from 2000 to 2005:
- Dividing 506 by 5 year, that's an average of 101 people each year.
- Potential quote: "That means one person dies in our state every 3� days because of a house fire - and we know these deaths can be prevented."
Example 2:
We know from the CDC WISQARS database that 437 African-American girls aged 0-10 years died in residential fires from 2000 to 2005:
- 437 divided by 5 years = 87
- So, we know approximately 87 young African-American girls die each year in the U.S.
OR. - About one African-American girl every 4 days.
These statistics put the real issue into perspective. With data from the sources that follow, you can use this same method to make your local or state statistics more powerful and easier to understand.
Where to Find Fire Statistics
WISQARS 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Response System-WISQARS-is an interactive database of fatal and nonfatal injuries. Find data on home fire deaths in your state, available by age, sex, and race and ethnicity. National data on nonfatal fire injuries are available by sex and age. Check out the Help files for more information on fatal and nonfatal data .
CDC WONDER - Compressed Mortality File
Through CDC WONDER, search for fire-related deaths in your state or county or for the entire United States. Use ICD codes X00-X09. These data are available for 1979-2004 and can be sorted by age, race, gender, and year of death. Click on the WONDER Quick Start Guide for help in finding the data you need.
State Health Departments
The health department in your state or county may have statistics on home fires and related deaths. Click on the map from ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials) to find your state health department.
National Fire Data Center
The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Data Center gathers and analyzes information on the magnitude of the Nation's fire problem, as well as its detailed characteristics and trends. Manages the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), the standard national reporting system used by U.S. fire departments to report fires and other incidents to which they respond.