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Fire prevention is a term for the many safety measures used to keep harmful fires from starting. Each year, about 2¹/2 million fires are reported in the United States. The fires cause about 4,000 deaths. In Canada, about 65,000 fires cause over 600 deaths annually. Over a fourth of the people killed or hurt by fire are children.

Individuals, groups, and communities work to prevent fires. They use three main methods: (1) laws and regulations, (2) inspection of buildings and other property, and (3) public education about fire safety.

Most cities and states have codes and standards that require certain types of fire retardant materials and electric wiring to be used in buildings. Fire departments and other public agencies inspect public buildings for fire hazards and recommend corrective action. In some communities, homeowners may agree to have their homes inspected for fire hazards. Education is a vital part of fire prevention programs because people cause—and could prevent—almost all fires. Fire departments, community groups, and schools teach children and adults about fire hazards and work to reduce fires throughout the community.

In homes and schools, trash, old clothes, drapes, and furniture should be discarded, not stored in attics, basements, or closets. They could quickly catch fire in those places. Such liquids as gasoline and paint burn easily and should be stored in tightly closed cans, away from heat. Gasoline should not be stored indoors, and it must never be used to start a barbecue fire or bonfire.

In old homes and schools, an electrician should regularly check electric wiring and replace any that appears weak or worn. An electrician should also replace cords on electric appliances as soon as the outside coverings become worn. Cords should never be run under carpeting, where they might become damaged and set the carpeting on fire. A fire can also result from overloading one outlet with several appliances. See Safety (Safety at home) (Safety at school).

Many types of fabrics burn easily. Wise parents teach children to avoid clothing fires by not standing near lighted stoves or bonfires and not playing with matches. Playing with matches causes loss of life and thousands of dollars in damage yearly in the United States.

Many school programs train children to be alert to fire hazards. Young children may learn these dangers by coloring sheets of pictures, rhymes, and slogans about fire prevention. Many older children visit fire departments. Fire fighters or teachers also may give talks and demonstrations for classes and assemblies. School and community groups sponsor children's clubs, called junior fire departments, to promote fire safety at home.

In the community, fire departments and other public agencies work to improve fire prevention through laws, inspections, and educational programs. Such groups as chambers of commerce and youth clubs promote fire prevention through newspapers, pamphlets, posters, and radio and television appeals.

Some groups sponsor programs to alert the community to fire hazards that occur during various seasons. For example, the number of fires in homes increases every winter, when heating equipment comes into use. Some of this equipment has not been kept in good condition or has been misused. In many communities, organizations put safety tags on Christmas trees.

Local clean-up weeks encourage homeowners, stores, and factories to discard rubbish and eliminate other fire hazards. Each year, the United States and Canada observe National Fire Prevention Week during the week including October 9, the anniversary of the Chicago Fire of 1871. Most communities have laws that require regular inspections of commercial, public, and some residential buildings.

In industry, fire prevention presents special problems because fire must be used for so many jobs. Fire performs such tasks as melting metals, heating chemicals, and generating electric power. Machines and furnaces used for these jobs must be carefully designed to keep the flames under control. Inspectors check for fire hazards near machines and in other areas of a factory. Employers teach workers to operate machines safely and to report any problems that could cause fire.

Workers must take special care when using dry or liquid chemicals and oils. Some liquids give off easily ignited vapors and have to be stored in metal safety cans. Spilled chemicals, and dust and chips from flammable materials, must be cleaned up immediately.

Many industries sponsor special classes and demonstrations to teach workers how to prevent fire at their jobs. Factory bulletin boards, pamphlets, and articles in company magazines also promote fire safety.

Fire prevention laws began with building regulations established in ancient times. About 18 B.C., the Roman Emperor Augustus set maximum heights for houses and minimum thicknesses for their walls. Later laws required minimum separations between buildings to prevent fires from spreading from one structure to the next. In the A.D. 300's, Emperor Julian issued controls on the work of blacksmiths and other tradespeople who used fire. For example, he banned smoking chimneys that could cause roof fires. Princes in parts of Italy and Germany used some of these laws as late as the 1600's.

In the American Colonies, the earliest fire laws dealt with fighting, rather than preventing, fires. But newspapers sometimes advised readers about fire hazards.

In 1896, the National Fire Protection Association was formed to develop national fire codes and standards. The first Fire Prevention Day was observed in the United States in 1911. In 1922, the United States and Canada observed National Fire Prevention Week, the first campaign to educate the public in fire safety. Since then, public education programs have become important supplements to fire prevention laws and inspection programs. Many such programs operate the year around.

Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom also stress public education in fire prevention. But most industrialized nations rely more on laws, inspections, and worker training. In many countries, insurance requirements form the basis of fire prevention programs.

Critically reviewed by the National Fire Protection Association