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NBSIR 82-2519

Rural and Non-Rural Civilian

Residential Fire Fatalities in

Twelve States

U S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Bureau of Standards

National Engineering Laboratory

Center for Fire Research

Washington, DC 20234

June 1 982

Sponsored in part by;

Federal Emergency Management Agency

I National Fire Data Center

U.S. Fire Administration

lUJ Washington, DC 20472

. U5o

1362

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NBSIR 82-2519

RURAL AND NON-RURAL CIVILIAN

RESIDENTIAL FIRE FATALITIES IN

TWELVE STATES

ATlOliAl. or rtANDiLAUl

.JUL 2 9 1982

\

i

A. Gomberg and L. P. Clark

U S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Bureau of Standards

National Engineering Laboratory

Center for Fire Research

Washington, DC 20234

June 1 982

Sponsored in part by:

Federal Emergency Management Agency

National Fire Data Center

U.S. Fire Administration

Washington, DC 20472

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF FIGURES iv

LIST OF TABLES V

Abstract 1

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. POPULATION ESTIMATES 4 2.1 Population of Area where Fatality Occurred 4 2.2 Estimated Populations 5

3. OVERALL FATALITY RATES 6

4. GENERAL CAUSAL PATTERNS 8 4.1 Fatality Rates by Cause 8 4.2 Type of Fuel in Heating Fires 11

5. FIRE FATALITY SCENARIOS 12

5.1 Heating Fire Scenarios 12

5.2 Cooking Fire Scenarios 19

5.3 Smoking Fire Scenarios 21

5.4 Electrical Distribution Fire Scenarios ........ 22

5.5 Open Flame Fire Scenarios 26

6. SELECTED GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 27

6.1 RURAL and NON-RURAL Race Comparisons . 27

6.2 Condition before Injury 29

6.3 Property Type 31

6.4 Smoke Detector Presence 32

6.5 Fire Department Response 33

7. CONCLUSIONS 36

8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 37

9. REFERENCES 37

APPENDIX A. CODING STRUCTURES 38

APPENDIX B. CALCULATION OF POPULATIONS BY POPULATION INTERVAL 45

iii
LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1. Residential fatality rates - ALL states 7 Figure 2. Fatality rates by cause for population intervals 9 Figure 3. Fatality rates by population interval for each cause 10

Figure 4. Fatality rates by cause for HIGH and LOW states 10

Figure 5. Fatalities by heating equipment and fuel 11

Figure 6. Fatality rates by race 28

Figure 7. Fatality rates by race/population interval 28

iv
LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1. Civilian, residential fire death totals and fire death rates

for HIGH and LOW states 2 Table 2. Population estimates HIGH states 5 Table 3. Population estimates LOW rate states 5 Table 4. Fatality rates by population interval - HIGH rate states 6 Table 5. Fatality rates by population interval - LOW rate states 6 Table 6. Fatality rates by population interval - ALL states 7 Table 7. RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates 8 Table 8. Fatality rates by cause 9

Table 9. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states (Form of material

ignited; walls, ceiling, framing, insulation, flooring 13

Table 10. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states (Form of material

ignited: furniture, bedding, soft goods, trash) 13

Table 11. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states (Form of material

ignited: garment on person) 13

Table 12. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states (Form of material

ignited: flammable liquid, fuel) . 13

Table 13. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states (Form of material , ignited: walls, ceiling, framing, insulation, flooring) 14

Table 14. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states (Form of material

ignited: furniture, bedding, soft goods, trash) 14

Table 15. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states (Form of material

ignited: garment on person) 15

Table 16. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states (Form of material

ignited: flammable liquid, fuel) . . 15

Table 17. Heating fire fatality rates ranked by equipment and area category . . 18

Table 18. Cooking fire fatality rates - ALL states (Form of heat: all

(7 5% gas fueled equipment)) 19

Table 19. Cooking fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states (Form of heat:

all (75% gas fueled equipment)) 19

Table 20. Smoking fire fatality rates - ALL states (Cause: smoking) 21

Table 21. Smoking fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states (Cause: smoking) ... 22

Table 22. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - ALL states (Fixed

property use: one and two family) 23

Table 23. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - ALL states (Fixed

property use: mobile homes) 23

Table 24. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - ALL states (Fixed

property use: other residential) 23

V
LIST OF TABLES (cont'd)

Page

Table 25. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Fixed property use: one and two family) 24

Table 26. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Fixed property use: mobile home) 24

Table 27. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Fixed property use: other residential) 25

Table 28. Open flame fire fatality rates - ALL states (Cause; open flame) ... 26

Table 29. Open flame fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Cause; open flame) 26

Table 30. Condition before injury - ALL states 29

Table 31. Condition before injury - HIGH/LOW states 20

Table 32. Property type - ALL states 21

Table 33. Property type - HIGH/LOW states 22

Table 34. Smoke detector presence - ALL states 22

Table 35. Smoke detector presence - HIGH/LOW states 23

Table 36. Reported and unreported fatalities - HIGH/LOW states 24

Table 37. Unreported fatalities - HIGH states 24

Table 38. Unreported fatalities by cause 25

Table 39 . Unreported fatalities by form of heat of ignition 26

vi
RURAL AND NON-RURAL CIVILIAN RESIDENTIAL FIRE

FATALITIES IN TWELVE STATES

A. Gomberg and Louis P. Clark

Abstract

The results of an analysis of fire causal factors

in over 1600 fire fatalities are presented. The primary

emphasis is on the identification of fire causes leading

to demonstrated high fatality rates in rural areas. It

was found that the most significant rural fire fatality

cause was heating equipment, with improper installation

and misuse of solid fueled heating equipment predominating.

Other fire causes making significant contributions to

high rural fatality rates were also investigated and

documented. Additional data are currently being collected

to enable further evaluation of rural fire problems.

Key Words: Residential fires; fire fatalities; fire

cause; fire data; fire statistics; heating equipment;

rural fires.

1 . INTRODUCTION

In December 1^78 the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) published "Fire in the

United States" [I]'*' which reported a wide variation among the fire-death rates in

the fifty states. The states with the highest reported death rates were Alaska,

Maine, and a group of southern states: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee,

Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. In "Highlights of

Fire in the United States", Second Edition [2], the USFA again found higher than

average fire-death rates in the southern and southeastern states and Alaska and the

District of Columbia. These reports also indicate that the fire death problem is

especially serious in rural communities. The National Bureau of Standards (NBS)

,

Center for Fire Research (CFR) designed a project for the USFA in which information

on fire fatalities was collected and analyzed in order to provide insight into two

questions raised by the previous studies:

1. Why is the fire-death rate in the southern and southeastern United States

higher than in the rest of the United States?

2. What are the differences in fire death characteristics and causes between

rural and non-rural populations?

This report is concerned with the second question, and addresses the differences

between rural and non-rural fatality characteristics for civilian (non-fire service)

residential fatalities.

In order to gain insight into these questions, data on 1,797 fire fatalities

from twelve states were collected, including 1,606 civilian, residential fatalities.

Based on data from earlier years six of these states were grouped as high death

rate states: Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Oklahoma; six

of these states were grouped as low death rate states; Connecticut, Utah, Wisconsin,

California, Florida, and Delaware. Each state contains both rural and non-rural

populations. The data collected were used for the RURAL/NON-RURAL analyses which

are the subject of this report. Differences between RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality

rates across all 12 states as a group are presented, and where appropriate, further

categorization of these rates by high and low death rate states is discussed.

Hj\imbers in brackets indicate the literature references at the end of this paper.

1
In each of the participating states the data were collected through the state fire marshal's office or a comparable office responsible for data collection. In each of the twelve states, a full one year collection period was agreed upon^. Then a report was obtained for every fatality which could be identified as being the result of a fire which occurred in that state over the one year period. Any person who died as the direct result of a fire, accidental or otherwise, was defined

as a fire fatality in this study , except for those persons who died as a result of

a fire associated with a motor vehicle accident. This category was excluded for

three reasons: (1) these data were considerably more difficult to obtain; (2) it

would be difficult to determine if the cause of death was the accident or the fire;

(3) it was not felt that the inclusion of these fatalities would provide significant

insight into the problems this study is addressing.

The fire fatalities were identified primarily through death certificates. In

addition fire incident reports, fire casualty reports, state investigation reports,

telephone inquiries, and personal contacts were used to identify additional fatalities, to identify non-fire fatalities which were incorrectly identified as fire

fatalities on the death certificates, and to obtain the necessary information on the circumstances of each fatality. In each state the data collection effort was provided by or through the responsible state office with coordination and assistance

from CFR as required.

For each state in the study the number of civilian residential fatalities

identified and the time period used are shown in table 1. In this report we will

use the following terminology:

HIGH (LOW) refers to the set of data collected from the group of high (low)

death rate states in this study.

ALL refers to the set of data collected from all of the states included in

this study.

RURAL refers to the set of data collected from areas of < 2500 population.

NON-RURAL refers to the set of data collected from areas of > 2500 population.

Areas include municipalities, cities, towns and unincorporated areas.

Table 1. Civilian, residential fire death totals and fire

death rates for HIGH and LOW states

NUMBER POPULATION FIRE DEATHS

STATE OF DEATHS (MILLION) PER MILLION REPORTING PERIOD

AL 163 3.742 43.6 July 1978 _ June 1979

AR 78 2.186 35.7 July 1978 - June 1979

GA 227 5,084 44.6 Jan. 1978 - Dec

.

1978

MS 111 2.404 46.2 July 1978 - June 1979

OK 89 2.880 30.9 Jan. 1978 - Dec. 1978

TN 168 4.357 38.6 Jan. 1978 - Dec. 1978

HIGH

TOTAL 836 20.652 40.5

CA 355 22.294 15.9 July 1978 - June 1979

CT 56 3.099 18.1 Jan. 1978 - Dec

.

1978

DE 27 0.583 46.3 July 1978 - June 19 79

FL 192 8.594 22.3 Jan. 1978 - Dec

.

1978

UT 23 1.307 17.6 July 1978 - June 1979

WI 117 4.688 25.0 Jan. 1978 - Dec. 1978

LOW

TOTAL 770 40.565 19.0

ALL 1606 61.217 26.2

^Two different one-year periods were used, due to differences in reporting

procedures among the states

.

2
Table 1 indicates that, state by state the death rate for the reporting period of this study in the HIGH states is considerably higher than the death rat^ in the LOW states, with the exception of Delaware. The choice of Delaware as a LOW state for this study was based on the USFA data available at that time [1] , and Delaware's fatality rate had been low for several years. However, two fires resulting in

thirteen fatalities during the study year increased Delaware's civilian residential

fire-death rate to 46.3 per million. This type of result is not surprising for a state with both a small population and a generally low fire-death rate. Fatality

rate calculations are generally done over a two or three year period to minimize

these effects. When Delaware's fatality rate was calculated over several years, including the study period, it was concluded that Delaware should be included with

the LOW states in this analysis.

Almost half of the LOW state fire fatalities occurred in California. It is

possible, therefore, for trends that appear only in California to appear to be true

for the entire group of LOW states. In order to guard against this possibility,

various frequencies and data tabulations were compared for California versus the

group of other LOW states. In most instances the California data were similar to

the data in the other states. There is considerable confidence, therefore, that the

LOW state results are not unduly influenced by California.

The overall civilian residential fire-death rate for the HIGH states is 40.5

deaths per million, more than double the overall 19.0 deaths per million in the LCW

states

.

In addition to the RURAL versus NON-RURAL population breakdowns , data were

grouped and tabulated by 10 population intervals, as follows:

Population Interval

1. > 1,000, 000

2. 500,000 - 1,000,000

3. 250,000 500,000

4. 100,000 250,000

5. 50,000 100,000

6. 25,000 50,000

7. 10,000 25,000

8. 5,000 10,000

9.

10.

2,500

< 2,500

5,000

Each population interval includes the sum of the populations of all areas whose

population falls within that interval for the particular set of areas (HIGH states,

LOW states, etc.) under consideration.

All of the fire fatality data used in this study were obtained by the

participating states and recorded on a worksheet. The data collected information

about the individual fatality, such as age, sex, race, and place of residence.

However, most of the data elements provide information about the fire. Most of

these are based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 901, Uniform

Coding for Fire Protection [3]. These data elements are familiar to the fire service

community and provide a uniform way to consider fire "causes." A brief narrative of

the fire was also included. Autopsy information was also requested when available.

Finally, the sources for the data are indicated. The coding format used in this

study is given in appendix A.

A worksheet was completed for every fire fatality identified. Thus if three

persons died in a fire then three worksheets were completed. Once the fatalities

were identified, an attempt was made to identify and contact the responding fire

department. The contact was made by telephone, by mail, or by a personal visit.

The completed worksheets were sent to the Center for Fire Research where they were

reviewed, edited and coded for input to a computerized data base. The computer file was then edited, reviewed, and analyzed.

3
Section 2 of this report discusses population estimates, including methodology

and population distributions. Section 3 discusses overall death rates by population

interval for HIGH, LOW, and ALL states. Section 4 discusses "causes" as defined by

USFA [1], with emphasis on heating fire fatalities. (The methods used to define USFA

"causes" are given in appendix A.) Section 5 describes the key fire scenarios

identified as making up the bulk of the discrepancy between rural and non-rural fire

fatality rates. Section 6 discusses general observations of interest in describing

RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates, including race, condition of fatality at ignition,

property type, detector presence, and fire department response. Section 7 provides

an overview of the conclusions of the study.

The reader is cautioned that the data are not necessarily representative of all

the fifty states as participating states were not selected according to a defined

sampling plan. Also, since the methods used to identify the fatalities varied

somewhat from state to state, the fire death rates for each state are approximate and

individual states may not be directly comparable. In addition, uncertainties may be

introduced by the method of calculating populations and by possible errors in the

interpretation and coding of the worksheet information.

Additional data on fire fatalities are currently being collected, primarily from

HIGH death rate states. A follow-up to this report will be issued when this expanded

data base is available.

2. POPULATION ESTIMATES

The one objective of this study is to assess the differences between residential

civilian fire fatalities in RURAL areas and fire fatalities in NON-RURAL areas. To

do so it is first necessary to define the population of the area in which each

fatality occurred.

The most appropriate means to compare RURAL and NON-RURAL fatalities was determined

to be fatality rates, given here in fatalities per million persons. Using fatality

rates as a measure eliminates the problems involving unequal population distributions

which occur when using frequencies or percentages to compare characteristics of two or more distinct population groups. To use fatality rates, however, the total population in each population group under consideration (defined as Population Interval in

Section 1) must be calculated.

This section discusses the approach used to define the population of the area in

which each fatality occurred. Details of the methodology used and assumptions made

in calculating total populations for each Population Interval are presented in

appendix B.

2 . 1 Population of Area where Fatality Occurred

A section of the fire fatality worksheet asked the respondent to check off the

appropriate population interval corresponding to the location where the fatal fire

took place. While this provided a good first indication of populations, several

problems were noted with these estimates.. In some cases, populations were not

known. In others, different respondents checked different population intervals for

the seime location. A more significant problem was the coding of the population

interval corresponding to the location of the responding fire department rather than

the location of the fatal fire. This sometimes resulted in RURAL areas being coded

with the population interval corresponding to the population of an entire county when

a county fire department responded. It also resulted in a rural or farm location,

outside the city limits of a municipality, being coded with the population interval

of that municipality.

To better define the actual populations of the fire location several steps were

taken. Coded population intervals were compared with the populations given in the

Rand McNally Commercial Atlas [4]

,

and corrected where found to be incorrect. In some cases where the fire location was not adequately identified by place name, use

of the zip code enabled identification of the place name.

4
Finally, where death certificates defined the location of the fire as outside

the city limits of small towns, or where addresses were obviously outside the limits

of a populated area (such as "off Route 1", "7 miles outside town", "off Highway

355" etc.) and where other factors such as run time, fire department identification,

or descriptions given in the narrative indicated a rural location, the population

interval was checked and corrected as necessary.

2 . 2 Estimated Populations

The estimated populations by population interval for HIGH and LOW states are given in tables 2 and 3 respectively.

Table 2. Population estimates HIGH rate states

Population Interval AL AR GA MS OK TN TOTAL

> 1,000 ,000 - - - - - - 500,000-1, 000,000 - - - - - 674,269 674,269

250,000- 500,000 325,000 - 455,300 - 745,000 471,006 1,996,306

100,000- 250,000 514,504 143,000 432,641 225,100 - 352,046 1,667,291

50,000- 100,000 72,400 190,654 175,681 - 258,540 55,323 752,598

25,000- 50,000 444,672 212,149 388,259 389,801 277,624 304,740 2,017,245

10,000- 25,000 443,396 354,377 855,441 371,613 424,931 504,694 2,954,452

5,000- 10,000 326,614 204,703 463,417 164,012 220,373 259,021 1,638,140

2,500- 5,000 227,378 160,474 415,728 132,475 186,102 184,862 1,307,019

< 2500 1.387.942 920,616 1,897,405 1,120,901 767.243 1,550,831 7,644,938

TOTAL 3,741,906 2,185,973 5,083,872 2,403,902 2,879,812 4,356,793 20,652,258

Table 3. Population estimates LOW rate states

Population Interval CA CT DE FL UT WI TOTAL

> 1,00C ,000 2,900,838 - - - - - 2,900,838

500,000-1, 000,000 2,068,500 - - 584,252 - 613,190 3,265,942

250,000- 500,000 945,900 - - 645,300 - - 1,591,200

100,000- 250,000 2,213,731 633,947 - 895,959 180,000 173,051 4,096,688

50,000- 100,000 3,950,174 765,505 169,286 443,251 143,393 594,314 6,065,923

25,000- 50,000 5,151,190 627,671 137,695 2,003,628 214,380 446,103 8,580,667

10,000- 25,000 2,753,791 622,953 62,242 1,364,869 258,242 579,909 5,642,006

5,000- 10,000 819,625 232,839 75,869 761,757 188,707 449,716 2,528,513

2,500- 5,000 418,062 147,940 15,173 453,159 126,135 490,968 1,651,437

< 2500 1,072.294 68,073 122,768 1,441,662 196,086 1,340,987 4,241,870

TOTAL 22,294,105 3,098,928 583,033 8,593,837 1,306,943 4,688,238 40,565,084

5
3. OVERALL FATALITY RATES

The populations by population interval described in Section 2 were matched with

the civilian residential fatalities in each population interval and fatality rates

population interval for HIGH, LOW and ALL states were calculated. The results

are presented in tables 4, 5, and 6 respectively, as fatality rates per million

population. The overall residential civilian fatality rate in this study of about

26 per million is slightly lower than national estimates of about 30 per million,

but the difference is not believed to be significant. The total death rate for all

fires in this study (residential and non-residential) was about 29 per million, also

slightly lower than the national average (excluding transportation) of about 32 per

million.

Table 4. Fatality rates by population interval - HIGH rate states

Population Interval

Estimated

Population

Civilian

Deaths

Death

Rate/Million

1. > 1,000,000 N/A N/A N/A

2. 500,000 -- 1,000,000 674,269 18 26.7

3. 250,000 - 500,000 1,996,306 101 50.6

4. 100,000 - 250,000 1,667,291 61 36.6

5. 50,000 - 100,000 752,598 31 41.2

6. 25,000 - 50,000 2,017,245 51 25.3

7 . 10,000 - 25,000 2,954,452 68 23.0

8 . 5,000 - 10,000 1,638,140 43 26.2

9. 2,500 - 5,000 1,307,019 42 32.1

10. < 2,500 7,644,938 421 55.1

TOTAL 20,652,258 836 40.5

Table 5. Fatality rates by population interval - LOW rate states

Estimated Civilian Death

Population Interval Population Deaths Rate/Million

1. > 1,000,000 2,900,838 68 23.4

2. 500,000 - 1,000,000 3,265,942 69 21.1

3. 250,000 - 500,000 1,591,200 54 33.9

4. 100,000 - 250,000 4,096,688 82 20.0

5. 50,000 - 100,000 6,065,923 104 17.1

6 . 25,000 - 50,000 8,580,667 75 8.7

7. 10,000 - 25,000 5,642,006 72 12.8

8. 5,000 - 10,000 2,528,513 33 13.1

9 . 2,500 - 5,000 1,651,437 26 15.7

10. < 2,500 4,241,870 181 42.7

TOTAL 40,565,084 764^ 18.8

3 The population interval was not known for 6 fatalities.

6
Table 6. Fatality rates by population interval - ALL states

Population Interval

Estimated

Population

Civilian

Deaths

Death

Rate/Million

1. > 1,000 ,000 2,900,838 68 23.4

2. 500,000 - 1,000,000 3,940,211 87 22.1

3. 250,000 - 500,000 3,587,506 155 43,2

4. 100,000 - 250,000 5,763,979 143 24.8

5. 50,000 - 100,000 6,818,521 135 19.8

6. 25,000 - 50,000 10,597,911 126 11.9

7. 10,000 - 25,000 8,596,458 140 16.3

8. 5,000 - 10,000 4,166,653 76 18.2

9. 2,500 - 5,000 2,958,456 68 23.0

10. < 2,500 11,886,808 602 50.6

TOTAL 61,217,341 1600 26.1

As these tables demonstrate, the RURAL (< 2500 population) fire fatality rate

is considerably higher than the rates for the other population intervals. The HIGH

states also have a significantly higher fatality rate than the LOW states. Figure 1, uses linear graphs of fatality rates by population interval to more clearly depict

the pattern of fatality rates by population interval.

RESIDENTIAL FATALITY RATES

(FORE DEATHS PER MILLION POPULATION)

POPULATION INTERVAL (thousands)

Figure 1. Residential fatality rates - ALL states

7
The characteristic "bathtub" curve previously noted by other sources, including

NFPA [5] and USFA [2] is evident in this data base also.

Since the purpose of this study is to compare RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality

rates, and since the number of fatalities in individual population intervals over

2500 was relatively small, most analysis was done using only RURAL (< 2500) and NONRURAL (> 2500) comparisons. In several cases, however, the use of general categories

of comparison, such as USFA "cause," enabled us to compare and contrast rates by

individual population interval.

Also of significance is that the HIGH and LOW states produced similarly shaped

curves, indicating that a rural fire problem exists regardless of overall death

rate

.

Table 7 compares RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates for HIGH, LOW, and ALL

states

.

Table 7. RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates

HIGH LOW ALL

RURAL NON-RURAL RURAL NON-RURAL RURAL NON-RURAL

55.1 31.9 42.7 16.1 50.6 20.2

Overall, the RURAL fatality rate is 2.5 times the NON-RURAL rate. Further

details of the causal factors contributing to the RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates

in both HIGH and LOW states are presented in section 5.

It should also be noted that the contribution of RURAL fatalities in the HIGH

states to the HIGH state fatality rates is considerably greater than the contribution of RURAL fatalities in the LOW states, since a greater proportion of the

population in the HIGH states is rural.

4. GENERAL CAUSAL PATTERNS

The objective of this study is to assess the differences between RURAL and NONRURAL fatalities and to determine if causal factors responsible for the higher RURAL

fire fatality rate can be identified. This initial analysis of causal patterns uses the USFA developed "causes" (appendix A) which categorize the basic causal factors . of fires into a set of general causes.

4.1 Fatality Rates by Cause

Table 8 gives the fatality rate by cause for each population interval. As

indicated in table 8, there are significant differences between RURAL and NON-RURAL

areas in terms of cause. The largest RURAL/NON-RURAL difference is unknown cause. This may be due, in

part, to longer RURAL response times and delayed alarms, resulting in greater

physical destruction and a consequent increase in the difficulty of successful

investigation. Another factor may be a lack of resources for investigation in RURAL

areas. Other factors may be at work as well. Since it is not possible to investigate

unknown causes in further detail they are excluded from the remaining analyses which

concentrate on known causes.

Of the known causes, heating is shown to have the largest discrepancy between

RURAL (13.8) and NON-RURAL (3.3) fatality rates. Cooking also has a considerably

higher RURAL fatality rate, although it should also be noted that all causes (except

incendiary/suspicious) had higher RURAL than NON-RURAL fatality rates.

8
Table 8. Fatality rates by cause

Rural Rate

< 2.5

Population Interval (1000 ’s) NonRural

Rate

Overall Cause 2.5-5 5-10 10-25 25-50 50-100 100-250 250-500 500-lm > Im Rate

Heating 13.8 4.4 4.1 3.3 2.1 2.8 3.0 7.0 4.1 1.7 3.3 5.3

Cooking 4.2 2.0 2.6 2.0 0.7 0.7 1.2 2.0 1.3 1.0 1.4 1.9

Incendiary/

Suspicious 0.7 1.0 1.2 1.5 0.9 2.5 1.7 4.7 2.0 4.5 2.0 1.7 Smoking 7.3 4.7 3.8 3.8 2.9 6.5 8.5 13.7 5.3 11.0 5.9 6.1

Elec. Dist. 2.5 3.4 0.5 1.1 1.3 0.3 1.9 1.4 0.8 - 1.1 1.4 Appliances 1.2 0.7 1.0 0.1 0.7 0.7 0.5 1.4 - 0.3 0.6 0.7 Children

Playing 1.1 0.7 1.4 0.1 0.6 0.9 0.5 3.9 1.8 0.7 1.0 1.0 Open Flame 1.6 1.7 0.2 0.6 0.6 0.9 1.4 1.4 1.8 1.4 1.0 1.1 Other 1.0 - - - - 0.2 - 0.8 - 0.3 0.1 0.3 Unknown 17.2 4.4 3.4 3.8 2.2 4.4 6.1 7.0 5.1 2.4 4.1 6.6 ' TOTAL 50.6 23.0 18.2 16.3 12.0 19.9 24.8 43.3 22.2 23.3 20.5 26.1

NOTE: Totals may not agree with table 6 due to rounding errors. Fatality rates are given in fire deaths per million population.

The patterns of fatality rate by cause for each population interval for ALL

states are illustrated in figure 2. Disregarding unknown, heating dominates only in

the < 2500 population interval. The contribution of smoking as a cause appears to

increase as population increases, as does that of incendiary/suspicious. The con- tribution of cooking and heating appear to decrease with increasing population.

Related patterns are illustrated in figure 3, which shows fatality rates by population interval for each cause. Figure 4 compares RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates

for the significant "causes" in the HIGH states with those in the LOW states.

FATALITY RATES BY CAUSE FOR EACH POPULATION INTERVAL

POPULATION

INTERVAL CAUSE

POPULATION

INTERVAL CAUSE

< 2,500

2 , 500- 5,000

5 ,000- 10,000

10,000- 25,000

25,000- 50,000

50,000- 100,000

100,000- 250,000

250, 000- 500,000

500,000-

1 , 000,000

> 1 ,000,000

FATALITIES FATALITIES

Figure 2. Fatality rates by cause for population intervals

9
CAUSE

FATALITY RATES BY POPULATION INTERVAL FOR EACH CAUSE

POPULATION POPULATION

INTERVAL INTERVAL

(thousands) CAUSE (thousands)

HEATING

COOKING

INC./SUSP.

SMOKING

ELEC. DIST.

APPLIANCES

CHILDREN

PLAYING

OPEN FLAME

OTHER

UNKNOWN

FATALITIES FATALITIES

Figure 3. Fatality rates by population interval for each cause

FATALITY RATES BY CAUSE - HIGH AND LOW STATES

16

14

12

0 HEATING ^ COOKING

m ELECTRICAL ^ DIST. g APPLIANCES

g OPEN FLAME

If INCENDIARY/

ill SUSPICIOUS ^ SMOKING

CHILDREN ^ PLAYING

HIGH STATES

RURAL

HIGH STATES

NON-RURAL

LOW STATES

RURAL

LOW STATES

NON-RURAL

Figure Fatality rates by cause for HIGH and LOW states

10
A similar pattern is present for the heating, cooking and electrical distribution

causes. For these causes, the highest fatality rates are recorded for the HIGH

RURAL category, followed by the LOW RURAL, the HIGH NON-RURAL and finally the LOW

NON-RURAL. (Unknown fires also exhibit this pattern.) Similar, but less distinct,

patterns also occur for appliance and open flame causes. Heating exhibits the most

pronounced pattern, as well as having the highest fatality rates. These distributions

indicate that for most fire causes a pattern of higher RURAL than NON-RURAL fatality

rates exists for both HIGH and LOW states, with the RURAL/NON-RURAL fatality rate

discrepancy being more severe than the HIGH/LOW discrepancy.

Conversely, the NON-RURAL fatality rates predominate in the case of the

incendiary/suspicious cause, and the HIGH state fatality rates predominate slightly

in the smoking and children playing causes.

4.2 Type of Fuel in Heating Fires

Since heating is the cause with the most significant RURAL/NON-RURAL fatality

rate difference an additional detail, type of fuel, was excimined for the heating

cause. The results (with unknown cause redistributed in accordance with the distribution of the "known's") are illustrated in figure 5. It is apparent that the

RURAL heating fire fatality problem is predominately solid fueled heating equipment.

Of the solid fueled heating equipment fire fatalities, 55 percent were in HIGH

RURAL areas, 21 percent in LOW RURAL areas, 20 percent in HIGH NON-RURAL areas, and

4 percent in LOW NON-RURAL areas.

COMPARISON OF FATALITIES

BY HEATING EQUIPMENT AND FUEL

POPULATION

INTERVAL

•"Unknown” redistributed in accordance with distribution of "Known”

Figure 5. Fatalities by heating equipment and fuel

11
While these general discussions of causes provide an overview of the problem,

they are not specific enough to describe the differences in RURAL and NON-RURAL

fatality rates in detail or to direct action. The next section breaks down the

RURAL/NON-RURAL differences into greater detail, using descriptive scenarios to

illustrate the nature of the differences, and delves further into the RURAL/NONRURAL differences in the HIGH and LOW states.

5. FIRE FATALITY SCENARIOS

In order to identify more specifically the characteristics of RURAL fires which

contribute most to the high RURAL fire rate a series of fire scenarios were identified

by combining relevant causal factors and comparing the resultant RURAL and NON-RURAL

fatality rates for ALL states. The great majority of the identifiable RURAL/NONRURAL discrepancy in fire fatality rates for ALL states is due to fires with the

characteristics described in these scenarios.

The scenario descriptions in this section do not specifically describe all

fires in a given scenario, but provide a general description of the most common

types of fires which fall within a scenario. The scenario descriptions are followed

by a brief summary statement which describes the key factors (Equipment Involved in

Ignition, Form of Heat of Ignition, etc) in the scenario. Also included are tabulations of the fatality rates by these factors, for ALL states and for HIGH and LOW

states separately. Where appropriate the differences in the RURAL/NON-RURAL fire

fatality characteristics between the HIGH and LOW states are also discussed.

These scenarios provide an initial description of some of the significant

characteristics of the RURAL fire problem. They should not be considered final and

definitive, particularly in view of the uncertainties in calculations of populations

described previously, and the large number of unknown RURAL fire fatalities. There

may also be elements involving areas such as income level or housing stock characteristics which relate to, or are common to with, many scenarios. The characteristics

described in these scenarios do, however, provide an initial indication of possible

approaches toward addressing the RURAL fire problem.

5.1 Heating Fire Scenarios

The fatality rate in RURAL heating fires^ (13.8) is over four times the fatality

rate in NON-RURAL heating fires (3.3). Tables 9-12 show the fatality rates in

RURAL and NON-RURAL heating fires for ALL states by Equipment Involved in Ignition

(EQP) and Form of Heat of Ignition (FHI) , for the four significant categories of

Form of Material Ignited (FMI) . These categories are, respectively, structural

(walls, framing, etc.), furnishings and miscellaneous (bedding, trash, etc.), clothing on person, and flammable liquids and gases. The major differences between the

RURAL and NON-RURAL heating fire fatality rates are drawn from tables 9-12 and are described by six scenarios. These scenarios describe the types of RURAL heating

fires which produce most of this discrepancy between RURAL and NON-RURAL heating

fire fatality rates. Tables 13-16 further differentiate RURAL and NON-RURAL heating

fire scenarios by HIGH and LOW states.

4 The fatality rate in the RURAL population due to heating fires.

12
Table 9. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Form of material ignited; walls, ceiling, framing, insulation, flooring)

EQ>^ GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating 0.04 Water

Heater

Local Heater 0.22 0.14 0.04 Fireplace 0.10 Portable

Heater 0.02 0.06 chimney 0.02

GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating 0.34 Water

Heater 0.34 Local Heater 0.08 1.51 0.08 Fireplace 0.67 Portable

Heater 0.42 0.50 0.08 Chimney 0.25 ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL

Table 10. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Form of material ignited: furniture, bedding, soft goods, trash)

GAS FUEL LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUELELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating Water

Heater 0.02 Local Heater 0.25 0.06 Fireplace 0.04 Portable

Heater 0.02 0.02 0.36 Chimney

ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL

Table 11. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states

CForra of material ignited: garment on person)

eqX«^ GAS FUELLIQUID FUELSOLID FUELELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating

Water Heater

Local Heater 0.67 0.25 0.08 Fireplace 1.01 Portable

Heater 0.17 0.08 Chimney

ALL RURAL

EQ>^ GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUELELECTRIC OTHER

Central Heating Water

Heater

Local Heater 0.20 0.02 0.02 Fireplace 0.04 Portable Heater 0.02 0.06 0.02 Chimney

ALL NON-RURAL

Table 12. Heating fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Form of material ignited: flammable liquid, fuel)

GAS FUELLIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELECTRIC OTHER

GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUELSOLID FUELELEC- TRIC

! OTHER

Central Heating

Central Heating

Water Heater 0.50 Water

Heater 0.32 Local Heater 0.08 0.42 0.17 Local

Heater 0.14 0.04 0.04 Fireplace 0.08 0.08 Fireplace 0.02 0.02 Portable Heater 0.08 0.08 Portable Heater 0.02 0.28 0.02 0.02 Chimney Chimney

ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL

13
Table 13. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Form of material ignited: walls, ceiling, framing, insulation, flooring)

- GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELECTRIC OTHER Central

Heating 0.52 Water

Heater

Local Heater 0.13 1.31 0.13 Fireplace 0.65 Portable

Heater 0.26 0.13 0.13 Chimney 0.52

HIGH RURAL

GAS FUEL LIQUID

FUEL

SOLID

FUEL

ELECTRIC OTHER

Central

Heating 0.08 Water

Heater

Local Heater 0.62 0.54 0.15 Fireplace 0.38 Portable

Heater 0.08 0.08 Chimney 0.08

HIGH NON-RURAL

GAS FUEL

LIQUID

FUEL

SOLID FUEL ELECTRIC OTHER

Central Heating

Water Heater 0.94 Local Heater 1.89 Fireplace 0.71 Portable

Heater 0.71 1.18 Chimney

LOW RURAL

EQP''I!JP GAS FUEL LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating 0.03 Water Heater

Local Heater 0.08 Fireplace

Portable

Heater 0.06 Chimney

LOW NON-RURAL

Table 14. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Form of material ignited: furniture, bedding, soft goods, trash) eqV^ GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER Central

Heating

Water

Heater

Local

Heater 0.39 0.26 0.52 Fireplace 0.65 Portable Heater 0.13 0.13 0.26 Chimney

HIGH RURAL eqK^ GAS FUEL LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating

Water

Heater Local

Heater Fireplace 0.47 Portable

Heater 0.94 Chimney

LOW RURAL

EQP'<^^ GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUELSOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER Central

Heating

Water

Heater Local

Heater 0.69 0.23 Fireplace 0.15 Portable

Heater 0.08 0.62 Chimney

HIGH NON-RURAL

GAS FUEL

LIQUID

FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRTr OTHFR

Central

Heating Water

Heater 0.03 Local

Heater 0.11 Fireplace Portable

Heater 0.03 0.28 Chimney

LOW NON-RURAL

14
Table 15. Heating fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(.Form of material ignited: garment on person)

GAS FUELLIQUID

FUEL

SOLID FUELELECTRIC OTHER

Central Heating

Water

Heater

Local Heater 1.05 0.26 0.13 Fireplace 1.31 Portable

Heater 0.26 0.13 Chimney

HIGH RURAL

GAS FUEL LIQUID

FUEL SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating Water

Heater

Local Heater 0.62 0.08 0.08 Fireplace 0.08 Portable

Heater Chimney

HIGH NON-RURAL

GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUELELECTRIC OTHER

Central Heating

Water

Heater Local Heater 0.24 Fireplace 0.47 Portable

Heater Chimney

LOtr RURftL

GAS

FTTFT. LIQUIDPTTFT. SOLIDFTIFT. ELECTRir

1 HTMFP Central

Heating Water

Heater

Local Heater 0.06 Fireplace 0.03 Portable

Heater 0.03 0,09 0.03 Chimney

Igy NON-RURAL

Table 16. Heating fire fatality rates - BIGH/LOH states

(Form of material ignited: flammable liquid, fuel)

GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL ELEC- TRIC OTHER EQP

GAS FUELLIQUID

FUEL SOLID

PUFT. ELEC- TPTr

J ::

Central Heating Central

Beating Water

Heater 0.26 Water

Heater 0.31 Local Heater 0.13 0.39 0.13 Local Heater 0.23 0.15 0.08 Fireplace 0.13 0.13 Fireplace 0.08 0.08

Portcible Heater 0.13 0.13 Portable

Heater 0.08 0.08 Chimney Chimney

HIGH RURAL HIGH NON-RURAL EQ^^^ GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUEL

SOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER eqV^ GAS FUEL

LIQUID FUELSOLID FUEL

ELEC- TRIC OTHER

Central

Heating Central

Heating Water

Heater 0.94 Water

Heater 0.33 Local Heater 0.47 0.24 Local

Heater 0.11 0.03 Fireplace Fireplact Portable

Heater Portable

Heater 0.36 0.03 0.03 Chimney Chimney

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

15
1. IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SOLID FUELED HEATING EQUIPMENT

RURAL Fatality Rate 2.43 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.26 fatalities /mil lion

Inadequate separation between solid fueled (usually wood fueled) heating stoves

or fireplaces and combustible structural components results in this scenario.

Typically a wood stove is located too close to a wood paneled wall, which then

ignites from the stove's heat. Heat from vents or chimneys installed with

inadequate clearance often ignites wall coverings or the framing inside the

wall. Also included in the scenario are cases where flooring or floor covering

was not adequately protected against the heat or flames from a stove or fireplace and subsequently ignited.

Table 13 shows that RURAL areas in HIGH and LOW states have similar fatality

rates for this scenario, significantly higher than the NON-RURAL rates, indicat

ing that it is primarily a RURAL fire problem. In the NON-RURAL areas, the

only fatalities for this scenario occurred in the HIGH states, although the

fatality rate is lower than the RURAL rate in either HIGH or LOW states.

The following causal factors define this scenario;

Equipment; Local heater, fireplace, chimney

Form of Heat; Solid fueled equipment

Form of Material Ignited; Wall, ceiling, framing, insulation, floor

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from table 9.

2. COMBUSTIBLES PLACED TOO CLOSE TO SOLID FUELED HEATING EQUIPMENT

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.76 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.10 fatalities/million

Wood stoves and fireplaces often provided the only heat in RURAL dwellings

where this scenario occurred. Typically occupants placed a bed or chair too

close to the heating equipment in order to keep warm, and the bed or chair

subsequently was ignited by heat or flame escaping from the stove while the

occupants were sleeping.

Predominating this scenario is the HIGH RURAL fatality rate (table 14) , with

LOW RURAL and HIGH NON-RURAL areas having similar rates, indicating both a RURAL and a HIGH state fire problem.

The following causal factors define this scenario;

Equipment; Local heater, fireplace

Form of Heat; Solid fueled equipment

Form of Material Ignited; Furniture, bedding, soft goods, trash

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from table 10.

3. FLAMMABLE LIQUID USED TO KINDLE FIRE

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.50 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.02 fatalities/million

Persons involved in this scenario used flammable liquids to start fires in

fireplaces and wood stoves. A flash fire then resulted, often involving

excessive or spilled flammable liquid, which burned the involved person.

Persons involved in this scenario were often coded on the worksheet as being

impaired by alcohol.

16
RURAL areas in HIGH and LOW states have similar fatality rates for this scenario

(table 16) and are significantly higher than either NON-RURAL rate, indicating

that this scenario is primarily RURAL in scope.

The following causal factors define this scenario;

Equipment; Local heater, fireplace

Form of Heat; Solid fueled equipment

Form of Material Ignited; Flammable liquid, fuel

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from table 12.

4. CLOTHING IGNITIONS

RURAL Fatality Rate 2.26 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.38 fatalities/million

Elderly people were often the victims of this scenario. Typically, they were

sitting close to wood stoves and local space heaters to keep warm when their

clothing ignited. Fires of this type were often not reported to the fire

department, as the victim was transported to the hospital by relatives or neighbors. This type of fire fequently involved only the clothing on the

victim. Wood stoves were the most common ignition source. The highest rates in this scenario are those in the HIGH RURAL areas, as indicated in table 15, with the heating equipment involved primarily divided

between gas fueled heaters and solid fueled heating equipment. LOW RURAL and

HIGH NON-RURAL areas had similar fatality rates for this scenario, about 25

percent of the HIGH RURAL rate, followed by LOW NON-RURAL areas with a rate

less than 0 percent of the HIGH RURAL rate. Gas fueled equipment appears more

significant in HIGH states than in LOW states, while solid fueled equipment is

more significant in RURAL than NON-RURAL areas. The following causal factors define this scenario;

Equipment; All heating equipment

Form of Heat; All

Form of Material Ignited; Garment on person

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from table 11.

5. PORTABLE SPACE HEATERS

RURAL Fatality Rate 1.66 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.48 fatalities/million

This scenario involves the misuse of portable space heaters, primarily

liquid fueled, solid fueled, and electric. Ignition occurs when the heater is

placed too close to combustibles, primarily wall paneling, bedding or upholstered furniture. The portable heaters are often used in this scenario as a substitute for central or stationary local heating. Most of the differences

between the RURAL and the NON-RURAL fatality rates for this scenario are accounted for to the ignition of wood paneling by solid and liquid fueled

portable heaters.

Portable heater fatality rates are highest in RURAL areas of LOW states by a significant amount (tables 13 and 14) . Liquid fueled equipment and solid

fueled equipment igniting combustible walls in RURAL areas, and electric

equipment igniting fabric in all areas contribute most significantly to the

overall rate for this scenario.

The following causal factors define this scenario;

Equipment; Portable heater

Form of Heat; All

Form of Material Ignited: Walls ,' floors , furniture, bedding, soft goods,

trash

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from tables 9 and 10.

17
6 . GAS FUELED FURNACES AND WATER HEATERS (in Mobile Homes)

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.68 fatalities/million^

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.00

This scenario represents the ignition of the wood wall paneling in gas fired furnace and water heater enclosures in mobile homes. Older mobile homes, which

are particularly common in RURAL areas, usually do not provide any fire rated

enclosure around furnaces and water heaters, which are separated from the

living unit by combustible paneling only.

As indicated in table 13, the RURAL fatality rate for this scenario consisted

of central heating systems in HIGH states and water heaters in LOW states. It

is not known if any significance can be attached to this distribution.

The following causal factors defino this scenario:

Equipment: Central heating, water heater

Form of Heat: Gas fueled equipment

Form of Material Ignited: Walls, ceilings, framing, insulations, flooring

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from table 9.

Overall, solid fueled heating equipment in RURAL areas of both HIGH and LOW

states is by far the leading contributor to heating fire fatalities. Table 17 ranks

heating equipment and area category. Structural materials are the most common

material ignited.

Table 17. Heating fire fatality rates ranked by

equipment and area category

Rank Area Category Equipment Fatality Rate

1 HIGH RURAL Solid Fuel 8.24

2 LOW RURAL Solid Fuel 5.42

3 HIGH RURAL Gas Fuel 4.05

4 HIGH NON-RURAL Gas Fuel 3.31

5 LOW RURAL Gas Fuel 1.89

6 HIGH NON-RURAL Solid Fuel 1.85

7 HIGH RURAL Electric 1.31

8 HIGH NON-RURAL Electric 1.00

9 LOW RURAL Electric 0.94

10 LOW RURAL Liquid Fuel 0.94

11 LOW NON-RURAL Gas Fuel 0.85

12 HIGH RURAL Liquid Fuel 0.78

13 LOW NON-RURAL Liquid Fuel 0.50

14 LOW NON-RURAL Electric 0.41

15 HIGH NON-RURAL Liquid Fuel 0.23

16 LOW NON-RURAL Solid Fuel 0.11

The mean fatality rate for this data set is 1.99.

5All in mobile homes.

18
5.2 Cooking Fire Scenarios

The fatality rate in RURAL cooking fires (4.2) is triple the rate for NON-RURAL

cooking fires (1.4). Table 18 shows the RURAL and NON-RURAL cooking fatality rates

for ALL states by Type of Material Ignited (TMI) and Ignition Factor (IF) . Table 19

provides the same breakdown by RURAL and URBAN areas for both HIGH and LOW states.

Table 18. Cooking fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Form of heat: all (75% gas fueled equipment))

XTM" GAS

FLAM. LIQUID

COOK

MTL. WALLS FABRIC

Unattended 1.10

Misuse of

Flammables 0.25

Misuse of

Fuel 0.34 0.08 Combustible

Too Close 0.59

Installation,

Maintenance 0.42 0.08

Operational

Problem 0.08

ALL RURAL

l\TM" GAS

FLAM. LIOUID

COOK

MTL. WALLS FABRIC

V- Unattended 0.22 0.06

Misuse of Flammables 0.10 Misuse of

Fuel 0.06 0.02

Combustible

Too Close 0.49

Installation,

Maintenance

Operational

Problem 0.02

ALL NON-RURAL

Table 19. Cooking fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Form of heat: §11 (75% gas fueled equipment))

l\TMl GAS

PLAfr LIQUID COOK

MTL. WALLS FABRIC iXtmi GAS

FLAM. LIQUID COOK

MTL. WALLS FABRIC

\

Unattended 1.57 Unattended 1.65 0.47

Misuse of

Flammables 0.26 Misuse of

Flammables 0.71

Misuse of Fuel 0.13 Misuse of

Fuel 0.47

Combustible

Too Close 0.26 Combustible

Too Close 1.41

Installation

,

Maintenance 0.52 Installation,

Maintenance

Operational

Problem 0.13 Operational

Problem

HIGH I?URAL HIGH NON-RURAL

ifV“ GAS

FLAM. LIQUID

COOK

MTL. WALLS FABRIC GAS

FEAIT. LIQUID

CUUK

MTL. WALLS FABRIC

Unattended 0.24 0.24 Unattended 0.11 0.03

Misuse of Flammables 0.24 Misuse of

Flammables 0.06

Misue of

Fuel 0.94 Misuse of. Fuel 0.03 0.03

Combustibles

Too Close 1.18 Combustibles

Too Close 0.39

Installation,

Maintenance 0.24 0.24 Installation,

Maintenance

Operational

Problem

Operational

Problem 0.03

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

19
The differences in cooking fire fatality rates between RURAL and NON-RURAL

areas appears primarily related to three basic scenarios. About 75 percent of the cooking fire fatalities involved gas fueled equipment in both RURAL and NON-RURAL

areas

.

1. UNATTENDED COOKING

RURAL Fatality Rate 1.18 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.28 f atalities/million

The largest discrepancy between the RURAL and NON-RURAL cooking fatality rates was related to unattended cooking. Intoxication contributed to about 35

percent of the unattended cooking fatalities in both RURAL and NON-RURAL

areas. In the majority of cases cooking materials (food or grease) ignited while the occupant (s) were asleep or incapacitated in another room. As seen in

table 19, the bulk of this RURAL fire problem is in the HIGH states. In fact,

the NON-RURAL areas of the HIGH states also have a high unattended cooking fatality rate, while the rate for both RURAL and NON-RURAL areas in the LOW

states is considerably lower.

The following causal factors define this scenario:

Equipment: Cooking equipment, all fuels

Type Material Ignited: Cooking material, walls (hardboard, plywood)

Ignition Factor: Unattended (includes falling asleep, unconscious)

2. INSTALLATION/MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCIES

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.50 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.00 fatalities/million

Gas fuel leaks dominate this RURAL fatality scenario, most often involving

Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) . While specific deficiencies are not usually

identified, this scenario appears to relate significantly to the widespread use

of LPG in RURAL areas in both HIGH and LOW states.

The following causal factors define this scenario:

Equipment: Cooking equipment, all fuels

Type Material Ignited: Gas, walls

Ignition Factor: Installation/maintenance (leak, part failure, break,

installation deficiency)

3. MISUSE OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS, GASES

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.67 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.18 fatalities/million

This scenario has two main components as indicated in table 18. The first,

involving misuse of non-fuel flammable liquids, primarily consists of cleaning

parts, stripping floors, etc. using flammable liquids which are ignited by

stove pilot lights, or using flammable liquids as kindling for wood stoves.

The second component involves misuse of fuel, primarily improper fueling or lighting of gas stoves or accidental release of fuel.

As can be seen in table 19, the misuse of flammable liquids also appears to be

a significant problem in the NON-RURAL areas of HIGH states, while the misuse

of fuel problem occurs primarily in the RURAL areas of LOW states.

The following causal factors define this scenario:

Equipment: Cooking equipment, all fuels

Type Material Ignited: Gas, flammable liquid

Ignition Factor: Misuse of fuel (accidental release, spill, improper

fueling)

20
Table 18 also indicates a substantial fabric too close to heat fatality rate in

both RURAL and NON-RURAL areas. These are primarily clothing ignitions, often

involving the elderly. Table 19 indicates that this problem is most severe in the

RURAL areas of LOW states, and the NON-RURAL areas of HIGH states.

5.3 Smoking Fire Scenarios

The fatality rate in RURAL smoking fires (7.3) is 25 percent higher than the

NON-RURAL smoking fire fatality rate (5.9). Table 20 shows the RURAL and NON-RURAL

smoking fatality rates (CBI) and Form of Material Ignited (FMI) . The difference in

fatality rates between RURAL and NON-RURAL areas do not appear from table 20 to be

explained by any single factor. These differences can be described by two scenarios

with the number of intoxicated fatalities slightly higher in RURAL areas for both

scenarios.

Table 20. Smoking fire

(Cause:

BEDDING

UPHOL.

FURN. OTHER TOTAL

Asleep 1.77 1.60 0.08 3.45

Intoxicated 1.09 1.09 0.17 2.35

Other 0.34 0.34 0.17 0.85

Total 3.20 3.03 0.42 6.65

ALL RURAL

fatality rates - ALL states

Smoking)

BEDDING

UPHOL.

FURN. OTHER TOTAL

Asleep 1.03 1.26 0.08 2.37

Intoxicated 0.81 0.83 0.16 1.80

Other 0.34 0.41 0.10 0.85

Total 2.18 2.50 0.34 5.02

ALL NON-RURAL

1. SMOKING IN BED

RURAL Fatality Rate 3.20 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 2.18 fatalities/million

Smoking in bed dominates the RURAL/NON-RURAL fatality rate discrepancy in

these fires. Intoxication is often a factor. Although the "intoxicated”

fatality rate is slightly higher in RURAL areas, its contribution to the over-,

all .smoking in bed fatality rate is proportionately slightly higher in NONRURAL areas, possibly indicating that simple carelessness may be more of a factor in RURAL areas. Falling asleep with smoking materials dominates the

smoking in bed scenario.

The following causal factors define this scenario:

Equipment: None

Form of Heat: Smoking materials

Form of Material Ignited: Mattress, bedding

2. SMOKING/UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE FIRES

RURAL Fatality Rate 3.03 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 2.50 fatalities/million

Smoking materials igniting upholstered furniture are also a more significant

contributor to the fatality rate in RURAL areas than in NON-RURAL areas. The

"intoxicated" fatality rate is again slightly higher in RURAL areas, but con- tributes about the same to the overall smoking/upholstered furniture fatality

rate in both areas. The incidence of falling asleep with smoking materials (as

opposed to discarding smoking materials) appears slightly higher in RURAL areas

21
The following causal factors define this scenario;

Equipment; None

Form of Heat; Smoking materials

Form of Material Ignited; Upholstered furniture

When smoking fires are examined by HIGH and LOW states, as well as RURAL and

NON-RURAL areas, some interesting patterns emerge, as shown in table 21. Smoking

fire fatality rates are highest in LOW RURAL areas, followed by HIGH NON-RURAL, HIGH

RURAL, and LOW NON-RURAL. Smoking while intoxicated is more prevalent in the HIGH

than the LOW states, but does not show a significant RURAL/NON-RURAL pattern.

Finally, the RURAL/NON-RURAL fatality rate discrepancy for smoking fires is primarily

accounted for by the LOW RURAL fatality rate, which is dominated by upholstered

furniture fires. This implies that while smoking in bed dominates RURAL smoking

fire fatality rates in terms of number of fatalities, upholstered furniture fires in

LOW states produce the most severe problem in terms of fatality rates.

Table 21. Smoking fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Cause; Smoking)

BEDDING

UPHOL.

FURN. OTHER TOTAL , BEDDING

UPHOL.

FURN. OTHER TOTAL

Asleep 1.70 1.05 2.75 Asleep 1.61 1.31 0.08 3.00

Intoxicated 1.57 1.05 0.13 2.75 Intoxicated 1.08 1.54 0.15 2.77

Other 0.13 0.26 0.39 Other 0.69 0.54 0.23 1.46

Total 3.40 2.36 0.13 5.89 Total 3.38 3.39 0.46 7.23

HIGH RURAL HIGH NON-RURAL

CBI^^ BEDDING

UPHOL.

FURN. OTHER TOTAL

Asleep 1.89 2.59 0.24 4.72

Intoxicated 0.24 1.18 0.24 1.66

Other 0.71 0.47 0.47 1.65

Total 2.84 4.24 0.96 8.04

BEDDING

UPHOL.

FURN. OTHER TOTAL

Asleep 0.83 1.24 0.08 2.15

Intoxicated 0.72 0.58 0.17 1.47

Other 0.22 0.36 0.06 0.64

Total 1.77 2.18 0.31 4.26

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

5.4 Electrical Distribution Fire Scenarios

The fatality rate in RURAL electrical distribution equipment fires (2.5) is over twice as high as the NON-RURAL rate (1.1). Tables 22-24 give the fatality

rates for RURAL and NON-RURAL electrical distribution fires for ALL states by Equipment Involved in Ignition (EQP) and Form of Material Ignited (FMI) for one and two

family dwellings, mobile homes and other residences (apartments, hotels, etc.).

Most of the difference between RURAL and NON-RURAL fatality rates for electrical

distribution fires is accounted for by a single scenario. Tables 25-27 gives the

fatality rate distributions by HIGH and LOW states, as well as RURAL and NON-RURAL

areas.

22
Table 22. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Fixed property use: one and two family)

eqXTM^

Wall

Ceiling

Framing,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.42 0.50 0.08

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.08 0.25 0.08

Other

loXTM'

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.16 0.10 0.02

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.12 0.04 0.16

Other

ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL

Table 23. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Fixed property use: mobile homes)

FMI EQ^

Wall,

Celling

Framing,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.34

Cord, Plug

Bulb

Other

\ FMI EQP\

Wall,

Celling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep.

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.04

Other

ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL

Table 24. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Fixed property use:

eq\TM^

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep, 0.08

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.08

Other

ALL RURAL

other residential)

\ FMI EQP\

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.02 0.02

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.02 0.10

Other 0.06 0.06

ALL NON-RURAL

23
Table 25. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Fixed property use: one and two family)

eqXTM^

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.65 0.78 0.13

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.13

Other

HIGH RURAL

\ FMI EQP\

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Othei

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep.

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.24 0.47 0.24

Other

LOW RURAL

\ FMI EQP\

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing

,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.54 0.23 0.08

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.15 0.15 0.15

Other

HIGH NON-RURAL

FMI EQP\

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing

,

Insul.

Bedding

Fum. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.03 0.06

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.11 0.17

Other

LOW NON-RURAL

Table 26. Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Fixed property use: mobile home)

\ FMI EQP\

Wall,

Celling

Framing,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Othei

Wall,

Celling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Fum. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.39

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep.

Cord, Plug

Bulb

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.08

Other Other

HIGH RURAL HIGH NON-RURAL

\ FMI EQP\

Wall,

Ceiling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Othei \fmi EQP\

Wall,

Celling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.24

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep,

Cord, Plug

Bulb

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.03

Other Other

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

24
Table 27, Electrical distribution fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Fixed property use; other residential)

Wall,

Celling

Framing

,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep,

Cord, Plug

Bulb 0.13

Other

HIGH RURAL

Wall,

Celling

Framing

,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.24

Cord, Plug

Bulb

Other

LOW RURAL

Wall,

Celling

Framing,

Insul

.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.08

Cord, Plug

Bulb

Other

HIGH NON-RURAL

EoV^

Wall,

Celling

Framing,

Insul.

Bedding

Furn. Other

Fixed Wiring

Switch, Recep. 0.03

Cord , Plug

Bulb 0.03 0.14

Other 0.08 0.08

LOW NON-RURAL

1. UNSAFE FIXED WIRING

RURAL Fatality Rate 1.42 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.32 fatalities/million

The two major components of the electrical distribution category of fire

fatalities are related to fixed wiring, including switches, receptacles and

junction boxes, and cords, plugs and light bulbs. Fixed wiring fires are usually within wall or ceiling concealed spaces and are often mechanical

breakdowns resulting from defective installation or deterioration with age.

Cord, plug and bulb type fires are more often directly associated with peoples

actions (combustibles too close to bulbs, overloading or damage to extension

cords etc.) and usually occur within the living space.

As the rates in tables 22-24 indicate, the RURAL fire fatality rate problem is

primarily related to fixed wiring fires, with structural components (walls,

ceilings, framing) . The fatality rate for cord, plug, and bulb fires is similar

for RURAL and NON-RURAL areas. From table 23 it is seen that fixed wiring

fires in mobile homes are a significant component of the RURAL electrical

distribution fire problem.

The following causal factors define this scenario:

Equipment; Fixed wiring, switch, receptacle

Form of Material Ignited: Wall, ceiling, framing, insulation

The fatality rates for this scenario are taken from tables 22, 23 and 24.

No information is available to breakdown RURAL fixed wiring fires by factors

such as the proportion of installation defects or age deterioration. Tables 25-27

indicate, however, that fixed wiring fire fatalities are primarily a HIGH state

problem, with the RURAL areas of HIGH states contributing the majority of the overall RURAL fatality rate in fixed wiring fires.

25
5.5 Open Flame Fire Scenarios

The fatality rate in RURAL open flame fires (1.6) is higher than the rate for

NON-RURAL fires (1.0) of this type. Table 28 gives the RURAL and NON-RURAL open

flame fatality rates for ALL states for the factors found to be most significant for

Open Flame Fires - Area of Origin (AO) and Form of Heat of Ignition (FHI) . Table 29

provides the same breakdown for HIGH and LOW states also. Two scenarios were found

to account for most of the RURAL/NON-RURAL discrepancy for open flame fires.

Table 28. Open flame fire fatality rates - ALL states

(Cause: Open flame)

Match

Lighter Candle

Open

Fire Other

Living

Room 0.14 0.16 0.02

Bedroom 0.08 0.10

Outside 0.12

Other 0.10 0.02

Match

Lighter Candle

Open

Fire Other

Living

Room 0.08 0.05 0.08

Bedroom 0.08

Outside 0.17 0.50

Other 0.08 0.08

ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL

Table 29. Open flame fire fatality rates - HIGH/LOW states

(Cause: Open flame)

a\TM^

Match

Lighter Candle

Open

Fire Other

Living

Room 0.13 0.78 0.13

Bedroom

Outside 0.26 0.52

Other

HIGH RURAL

AoV'

Match

Lighter Candle

Open

Fire Other

Living

Room 0.15 0.23 0.08

Bedroom 0.23 0.23

Outside 0.23

Other

HIGH NON-RURAL

a\TM^

Match

Lighter Candle

Open

Fire Other

Living

Room

Bedroom 0.24

Outside 0.47

Other 0.24 0.24

LOW RURAL

a\TMi Match

Lighter Candle

Open

Fire Other

Living

Room 0.14 0.14

Bedroom 0.03 0.06

Outside 0.08

Other 0.14 0.03

LOW NON-RURAL

26
1. OUTSIDE BURNING

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.67 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.12 fatalities/million

The outside burning of brush, leaves, and trash, which is prohibited in many

NON-RURAL areas, was a significant fatality cause in RURAL areas. Most of the

victims were elderly males who ignited their clothing while burning or attempting to burn materials outside. The problem appears to exist in RURAL areas of

both HIGH and LOW states.

The following causal factors define this scenario:

Area of Origin: Outside

Form of Heat: Open fire, match, lighter

2. MISUSE OF CANDLES

RURAL Fatality Rate 0.58 fatalities/million

NON-RURAL Fatality Rate 0.26 fatalities/million

The use of candles for lighting accounted for a substantial portion of the

RURAL/NON-RURAL open flame fatality rate discrepancy. Most of the victims were

children. The main component is in the HIGH RURAL areas, with a lower, but

similar rate in the remaining areas. The following causal factors define this scenario:

Area of Origin: All interior

Form of Heat: Candle

6. SELECTED GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

While the causal factors involved in RURAL and NON-RURAL fire fatalities are of

primary interest in this study, some general observations of other factors are worthy of note. Five factors (race, condition before injury, property type, smoke

detector presence and fire department response) are discussed here, in the hope that

they may provide some additional insight into possible reasons for the difference

between RURAL and NON-RURAL fire fatality rates.

6.1 RURAL and NON-RURAL Race Comparisons

Information on population by race for each population interval in this study

was not available. By making two assumptions, however, a population distribution

for three intervals was calculated using Census statistics [5]. The intervals are RURAL (< 2500 population), URBAN (2500 - 50,000 population) and CENTRAL CITY (>

50,000 population). The assumptions made were:

° State population distributions by race remain the same as 1970 Census.

® RURAL/URBAN race distributions given nationally in the 1970 Census are

a constant for each state and are unchanged from 1970.

Because of these necessary assumptions, and the simplified method used to

calculate population by race, these distributions, and the subsequent fatality rates

may be less reliable than those used in the remainder of this study. The general

trends indicated are believed to be valid, however.

Figures 6 and 7 describe the population interval differences involving race

that were noted in this study. Figure 6 indicates a total non-white fatality rate

of slightly over twice the white fatality rate. This discrepancy is significantly

more pronounced in the HIGH states. The USFA has reported similar findings [2]

.

27
FATALITY RATES BY RACE

HIGH LOW ALL

STATES

Figure 6. Fatality rates by race

FATALITY RATES BY RACE /POPULATION INTERVAL

HIGH LOW ALL

STATES

RURAL

( < 2, 500) Figure 7.

HIGH LOW ALL

STATES

URBAN

( 2 , 500- 50, 000)

HIGH LOW ALL

STATES

CENTRAL CITY

(>50, 000) Fatality rates by race/population interval

28
Figure 6 compares fatality rates by race for HIGH, LOW, and ALL states for the three population intervals. It appears that little difference in death rates between _ white and non-white exists in the CENTRAL CITIES, while RURAL and URBAN populations, exhibit an overall non—white rate of slightly over three times the white rate (ALL states) . It appears that the large differences between white and non-white death rates

are in the RURAL and URBAN areas of the HIGH states, followed by the RURAL areas of the LOW states. These comparisons suggest that some characteristics of the high RU^L non-white fatality rate may be more pronounced in HIGH states, and may also exist in URBAN areas of HIGH states. Although it is beyond the scope of this study,

more detailed examination of these rate differences may be useful in the future.

6.2 Condition before Injury

True fatality rates for certain classes of people (the elderly, for example)

cannot be calculated based on population interval as the frequency of the class in

the total population is not known. Some insight into the relative contribution of

the fatalities in a given condition to the overall fatality rate for RURAL and NONRURAL areas can be gained however by comparing the percentage of fatalities in what

has been coded here as "condition before injury" for all cases where the condition

of the fatality before injury occurred is known. These tabulations are presented in

table 30 for RURAL and NON-RURAL areas of ALL states, and are further broken down

into HIGH and LOW states in table 31. The corresponding fatality rates for each

condition before injury are also provided.

Table 30. Condition before Injury - ALL states

Condition

Before

Injury

Number

of

Fatalities

Percent

of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Asleep 285 36.0% 5.78

Bedridden,

Handicapped 54 6.8% 1.09

Impaired by

Drugs , Alcohol 166 21.0% 3.37

Too Young

To Act 136 17.2% 2.76

Too Old

To Act 64 8.1% 1.30

Senile, Mentally

Handicapped 21 2.7% 0.43

Awake

,

Unimpaired 65 8.2% 1.32

Condition

Before

Injury

Number

of

Fatalities

Percent

of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Asleep 160 33.3% 13.46

Bedridden,

Handicapped 26 5.4% 2.19

Impaired by

Drugs, Alcohol 94 19.6% 7.91

Too Young

To Act 100 20.8% 8.41

Too Old

To Act 56 11.7% 4.71

Senile, Mentally

Handicapped 8 1.7% 0.67

Awake

,

Unimpaired 36 7.5% 3.03

ALL RURAL ALL NON-RURAL
Table 31. Condition before injury - HIGH/LOW states

Condition

Before

Inj ury

Number

of

Fatalities

Percent

of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Asleep 99 29.8% 12.95

Bedridden,

Handicapped 20 6.0% 2.62

Impaired by

Drugs, Alcohol 75 22.6% 9.81

Too Young

To Act 70 21.1% 9.16

Too Old

To Act 43 13.0% 5.62

Senile, Mentally

Handicapped 7 2.1% 0.92

Awake

,

Unimpaired 18 5.4% 2.35

Condition

Before

Injury

Number

of

Fatalities

Percent

of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Asleep 113 32.8% 8.69

Bedridden,

Handicapped 27 7.8% 2.08

Impaired by

Drugs, Alcohol 77 22.3% 5.92

Too Young

To Act 62 18.0% 4.77

Too Old

To Act 29 8.4% 2.23

Senile, Mentally

Handicapped 13 3.8% 1.00

Awake

,

Unimpaired 24 7.0% 1.85

HIGH RURAL HIGH NON-RURAL

Condition

Before

Injury

Number

of

Fatalities

Percent

of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Condition

Before

Injury

Number

of

Fatalities

Percent

of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Asleep 61 41.2% 14.38 Asleep 172 38.6% 4.74

Bedridden, Bedridden,

Handicapped 6 4.1% 1.41 Handicapped 27 6.1% 0.74

Impaired by Impaired by

Drugs , Alcohol 19 12.8% 4.48 Drugs, Alcohol 89 20.0% 2.45

Too Young Too Young

To Act 30 20.3% 7.07 To Act 74 16.6% 2.04

Too Old Too Old

• To Act 13 8.8% 3.06 To Act 35 7.8% 0.06

Senile, Mentally Senile, Mentally

Handicapped 1 0.7% 0.24 Handicapped 8 1.8% 0.22

Awake

,

Awake

,

Unimpaired 18 12.2% 4.24 Unimpaired 41 9.2% 1.13

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

30
As table 30 indicates, the distribution of fatalities by condition before

injury is essentially similar in RURAL and NON-RURAL areas. A slightly higher proportion of fatalities in RURAL areas are classified as either "too young to act" or "too old to act". This discrepancy could be related to some characteristics of

RURAL fires, but could also be due to a higher proportion of the young and the

elderly in the RURAL population.

As table 31 indicates, the proportion of fatalities in the "too young to act"

category is highest in the RURAL areas of both HIGH and LOW states, but the proportion of "too old to act" fatalities is significantly higher in the HIGH RURAL

areas only.

Finally a relatively high proportion of "impaired by drugs, alcohol" fatalities

appears to exist in both the RURAL and NON-RURAL areas of HIGH states . A comprehensive examination of the possible reasons for this apparent larger contribution of

alcohol consumption to the fatalities in the HIGH states, including social, economic

and legal (variability in state alcohol and drug laws for example) aspects might be

helpful in addressing this problem.

6 . 3 Property Type

The distributions of residences by property type for RURAL and NON-RURAL areas

are not available, and true fatality rates by property type therefore cannot be

calculated. The comparison of relative fatality frequency by property type produces

some interesting insights. Tables 32 and 33 give fatality frequencies and fatality

rates for RURAL and NON-RURAL areas for ALL and HIGH/LOW states respectively.

As table 32 indicates, almost 25 percent of the RURAL fatalities occurred in

mobile homes, as opposed to only 8 percent in mobile homes in NON-RURAL areas. Some

of this discrepancy is almost certainly due to a larger proportion of mobile homes

in RURAL areas. Census figures [9]

,

for example, indicate that about 58 percent of

all mobile homes are outside standard metropolitan statistical areas (SMSA) while

only 38 percent of all single family dwellings are outside SMSA's. While a preponderance of apartments in NON-RURAL areas probably accounts for the higher frequency

of apartment fire fatalities in NON-RURAL areas shown in table 32, since only about

10 percent of all multifamily units are located outside SMSA's it is not clear that

the mobile home discrepancy can be completely accounted for by a larger proportion

of mobile homes in the RURAL areas. Other factors, such as income level (mobile

homes tend to be associated with lower income levels) and higher levels of risk in

older mobile homes [10] may also be affecting this trend. As table 33 indicates,

the high frequency of RURAL fire fatalities in mobile homes holds for both HIGH and

LOW states.

Table 32. Property type - ALL states

Property

Type

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

One and

Two Family 407 67.6% 34.24

Apartment 12 2.0% 1.01

Mobile Home 148 24.6% 12.45

Other

Residential 35 5.9% 2.94

ALL RURAL

Property

Type

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

One and

Two Family 595 59.6% 12.06

Apartment 234 23.4% 4.74

Mobile Home 80 8.0% 1.62

Other

Residential 89 8.9% 1.80

ALL NON-RURAL

31
Table 33. Property type - HIGH/LOW states

Property

Type

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

One and

Two Family 287 68.2% 37.54

Apartment 7 1.7% 0.92

Mobile Home 110 26.1% 14.39

Other

Residential 17 4.0% 2.22

HIGH RURAL

Property

.. Type

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Type

Fatality

Rate

One and

Two Family 120 66.3% 28.29

Apartment 5 2.8% 1.18

Mobile Home 38 21.0% . 8.96

Other

Residential 18 9.9% 4.24

LOW RURAL

Property

Type

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

One and

Two Family 305 73.5% 23.45

Apartment 62 14.9% 4.77

Mobile Home 36 8.6% 2.77

Other

Residential 12 2.9% 0.92

HIGH NON-RURAL

Property

Type

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Type

Fatality

Rate

One and

Two Family 290 49.7% 7.98

Apartment 172 29.5% 4.74

Mobile Home 44 7.6% 1.21

Other

Residential 77 13.3% 2.12

LOW NON-RURAL

6 . 4 Smoke Detector Presence

Tables 34 and 35 tabulate smoke detector presence and operation for RURAL and

NON-RURAL areas of ALL and HIGH/LOW states respectively. The proportion of smoke

detector protected homes in the studied states is not known, and true fatality rates

classified by smoke detector presence therefore cannot be calculated. About 6 percent of all fatalities occurred in homes with smoke detectors in all of the areas

studied. RURAL areas, and the HIGH states show slightly higher fatality rates for

smoke detectors present than NON-RURAL areas of LOW states. This may be due to

fewer smoke detectors in these areas. The higher incidence of clothing ignitions in

these areas may also contribute to this higher rate. The fatalities are too few,

and the proportion of smoke detector protected homes in the study area is too

uncertain, to attempt to draw conclusions regarding smoke detector performance here

however

.

Table 34. Smoke detector presence - ALL states

Smoke

Detector

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Present & Operated 4 1.0% ,0.34

Present & Did

Not Operate 5 ,1.3% 0.42

Present & Operation Unknown 14 3.6% 1.18

None Present 361 94.0% 30.37

ALL RURAL

Smoke

Detector

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Present & Operated 8 1.5% 0.16

Present & Did

Not Operate 17 3.2% 0.34

Present & Operation Unknown 6 1.1% 0.12

None Present 496 94.1% 10.05

ALL NON-RURAL

32
Table 35. Smoke detector presence - HIGH/LOW states

Smoke

Detector

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Present & Operated _ 0.0% _

Present & Did

Not Operate 5 1.7% 0.65

Present & Operation Unknown 11 3.7% 1.44

None Present 284 94.7% 37.15

HIGH RURAL

Smoke

Detector

Humber of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Present & Operated 4 4.8% 0.94

Present & Did

Not Operate - 0.0% -

Present & Operation Unknown 3 3.6% 0.71

None Present 77 91.7% 18.15

Smoke

Detector

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Present & Operated 4 1.3% 0.31

Present & Did

Not Operate 13 4.3% 1.00

Present & Operation Unknown - 0.0% -

None Present 287 94.4% 22.06

HIGH NON-RURAL

Smoke

Detector

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Present & Operated 4 1.8% 0.11

Present & Did

Not Operate 4 1.8% 0.11

Present & Operation Unknown 6 2.7% 0.17

None Present 209 93.7% 5.75

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

6.5 Fire Department Response

Of the 1606 civilian residential fire fatalities, 1430 (89.0%) were responded

to by a fire department. There was no fire department response in 91 (5.7%) of the

cases, and response was unknown in 85 (5.3%) of the cases. Adjusting for unknown

response gives an estimate that 6.0% of fatalities are not responded to by fire

departments, and are therefore not likely to be reported to fire departments. These

unreported fire fatalities were located through death certificates, and information

on them was obtained through contact with local authorities.

As table 36 illustrates, unreported fire fatalities are most common in the HIGH

states, particularly in the RURAL areas of those states. Almost 15 percent of the

fatalities in HIGH RURAL areas are unreported. Of the 91 unreported fatalities in

the data base, 80 (88%) are in the HIGH states. A total of 60 (66%) are in the

RURAL areas of those HIGH states. The dramatic of unreported fire fatalities in

RURAL areas of the HIGH states is further illustrated by comparison of fatality

rates in table 36.

33
Table 36. Reported and unreported fatalities - HIGH/LOW states

Fire Dept.

Response

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Unreported 60 14.2 7.9

Reported 346 82.2 45.3

Unknown 15 3.6 -

Fire Dept.

Response

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Unreported 20 4.8 1.5

Reported 392 94.5 30.1

Unknown 3 0.7 -

HIGH RURAL HIGH NON-RURAL

Fire Dept.

Response

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Unreported 4 0.7 0.1

Reported 540 92.6 14.9

Unknown 39 6.7 -

Fire Dept.

Response

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Total

Fatality

Rate

Unreported 7 3.9 1.7

Reported 149 82.3 35.1

Unknown 25 13.8 -

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

Unreported fire fatalities in each of the HIGH states are tabulated in table

37. Oklahoma shows only one unreported fatality, and has none in RURAL areas which

is significantly lower than the other HIGH states. The remaining five states exhibit

similar trends in unreported fire fatalities, except that Arkansas has a significantly

higher proportion of unreported fatalities than the other states.

Table 37. Unreported fatalities - HIGH states

State

Number

Unreported

RURAL

Number

Reported

Percent

Unreported

Number

Unreported

NON-RURAL

Number

Reported

Percent

Unreported

Alabama 11 73 13.1% 0 79 -

Arkansas 13 23 36.1% 6 35 14.6%

Georgia 14 85 14.1% 9 105 7.9% •

Mississippi 8 67 10.7% 3 33 8.3%

Oklahoma 0 29 - 1 59 1.7%

Tennessee 14 69 16.9% 1 81 1.2%

Unreported fatalities are tabulated by cause code in table 38. As noted

earlier, unreported fatalities are a substantial contributor to the overall fatality

rate in HIGH RURAL areas only. Of the known causes, unreported fatalities involving

heating predominate. Many are undoubtedly clothing ignitions, one of the most

significant scenarios in RURAL areas, which are more likely to be unreported than

other scenarios. (A total of 38 fatalities, or 39.2 percent of the 97 clothing

ignitions in the incident data base were not reported to the fire department.)

34
Table 38. Unreported fatalities by cause

Cause

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Cause Total

Fatality

Rate

Heating 23 19.8% 3.0

Cooking .. 5 14.7% 0.7

Smoking 5 9.8% 0.7

Open Flame 4 28.6% 0.5

Unknown 22 15.4% 2.9

All Other 1 2.1% 0.1

HIGH RURAL

Caus e Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Cause Total

Fatality

Rate

Heating 7 8.0% 0.5

Cooking 2 7.4% 0.2

Smoking 1 0.9% 0.1

Open Flame 4 21.1% 0.3

Unknown 5 5.7% 0.4

All Other 1 1.3% 0.1

HIGH NON-RURAL

Cause

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Cause Total

Fatality

Rate

Heating . 1 2.4% : 0.2

Cooking 3 18.8% 0.7

Smoking 1 2.8% 0.2

Open Flame 1 25.0% 0.2

Unknown 1 3.3% 0.2

All Other 0 - -

Cause

Number of

Fatalities

Percent of

Cause Total

Fatality

Rate

Heating 0 - -

Cooking 1 2.5% 0.03

Smoking 2 1.1% 0.06

Open Flame 0 - -

Unknown 1 1.3% 0.03

All Other 0 - -

LOW RURAL LOW NON-RURAL

The unreported fire fatalities where form of heat of ignition is known are tabulated in table 39. Solid fueled equipment (31 percent) and gas fueled equipment

(28 percent) make up the majority of the unreported total. They are largely clothing ignitions of people sitting too close to gas space heaters and wood stoves. In

terms of proportion of unreported fatalities to reported for each form of heat, open

fires (38.5 percent unreported) lead. This is expected, as many open fires (i.e.

burning of leaves, brush, etc. outside) do not result in an uncontrolled fire which

would necessitate calling the fire department. The high (16.5 percent) proportion

of solid fueled equipment fatalities which are unreported include a preponderance of

wood heat in RURAL areas not protected by local fire departments, or the use of wood

stoves as the sole source of heat by the elderly RURAL population, who may sit too

close to the wood stove to keep warm.

35
Table 39. Unreported fatalities by form of heat of ignition

Form Heat

of Ignition

Number of Unreported

Fatalities

Percent of Unreported

Total

Proportion of Unreported

to Reported

Gas Fueled Equipment 16 28% 9.5%

Liquid Fueled Equipment 3 5% 0.1%

Solid Fueled Equipment 18 31% 16.5%

Electrical 2 3% 0.8%

Smoking Materials 9 15% 2.7%

Open Fire 5 9% 38.5%

Other Open Flame 5 9% 7.2%

Other 0

- -

Total 58

7. CONCLUSIONS

In the course of this study information was obtained on 1606 civilian residential

fire fatalities which occurred in 12 states over a period of one year. Six of the

states were characterized by much higher than average annual fire fatality rates,

while the rates in the remainder were much lower than the national average. The

primary thrust of this study was to examine the differences in RURAL (< 2500

population) and NON-RURAL (> 2500 population) areas with respect to fire causal

factors. Some analysis of causal factors in the HIGH death rate states versus the

LOW death rate states was also accomplished.

When the fatality rates (deaths per million population) calculated in this

study were aggregated by population interval they were found to be consistent with

previously reported analyses of this type, with RURAL areas having significantly

higher fire fatality rates than any other population and with an overall RURAL

fatality rate of 2-1/2 times the NON-RURAL rate. The basic causal factors (Area of

Origin, Equipment Involved in Ignition, Form of Heat of Ignition, Type of Material

Ignited, Form of Material Ignited and Ignition Factor) were compared for RURAL and

NON-RURAL areas using fatality rates as the means of comparison.

Of the known fire causes it was found that heating fires produced by far the

largest RURAL fire fatality rate. It was also found that, while the RURAL fatality

rates were higher than the NON-RURAL rates for all causes except Incendiary/Suspicious

fires, the greatest contribution to the overall difference between the RURAL and

NON-RURAL fatality rates is made by heating fires.

The most significant basic fire causes were examined in detail for RURAL and

NON-RURAL fires by developing fire cause scenarios consisting of more detailed

descriptions of the basic fire causes. For each basic fire cause the scenarios

contributing the most toward the RURAL/NON-RURAL fatality rate discrepancy for that

cause were identified and described.

The improper installation or misuse of solid fueled heating equipment was found

to be the most significant RURAL fire problem. The misuse of solid fueled equipment

included placing combustibles too close to the heat, ignition of clothing on people

and using flammable liquids to kindle. A significant problem with solid fueled

heating equipment was also noted in NON-RURAL areas of the HIGH states.

Other significant RURAL fire cause scenarios include unattended cooking,

smoking, unsafe fixed wiring, outside burning, and misuse of gas fueled local heating

equipment and portable space heaters.

36
Examination of non-causal factors revealed several fatality rate characteristics

of potential significance. Characterization of fatality rates by race (white and

non-white) indicated a substantially higher non-white fatality rate in all areas except for central cities (> 50,0.00 population). The highest non-white fatality

rates were in the RURAL areas of the HIGH states. Fires in mobile homes contributed

considerably more to the overall fatality rates in RURAL areas than in NON-RURAL

areas, and a higher proportion of elderly people appear to be at risk in RURAL

areas.While this study addresses primarily the physical causes of fire fatalities, it

appears obvious that socio-economic factors play an important underlying role in

both RURAL and HIGH state fatality rates. To increase our understanding of the

relationships between socio-economic conditions and fire causes, and to better

identify possible fire fatality reduction strategies additional study of both should

be undertaken. Toward this end additional data on fire fatalities in several states

are currently being collected, and will subsequently be analyzed in an attempt to

better characterize RURAL fire problems.

8 . ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions to the study of the State

Fire Marshal's Offices, the fire services, and other involved individuals in the

states of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,

Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

9 . REFERENCES

[1] Fire in the United States: Deaths, Injuries, Dollar Loss, and Incidents at the

National, State and Local Levels. National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, Department of Commerce, (U.S.), December 1978.

[ 2 ] Highlights of Fire in the United States, Second Edition, U.S. Fire Administration,

Federal Emergency Management Administration (U.S.), April 1981.

[3] Uniform Coding for Fire Protection 1976, NFPA No. 901, National Fire Protection

Assn., Boston, MA 02210, 1976.

[ 4 ] 1980 Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide, 110th Edition, Rand McNally and

Company, 1980.

[5] Karter, Michael J. , Jr., Fire Loss in the United States During 1979, Fire

Journal, Vol. 74, No. 5, pp. 52-65, Sept. 1980.

[6] Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1979, U.S. Bureau of the Census,

1979.

[71 Population and Land Area of Urbanized Areas for the United States: 1970 and

1960, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Supplementary Report

PC(S1)-108, April 1979.

[8] Population Estimates and Projections - 1977, U.S. Department of Commerce,

Bureau of the Census, Series P-25, November 1979.

[9] Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1980, U.S. Bureau of the Census,

1980.

[10]

Wilson, Rexford and Gomberg , Alan, The Occupant Risk Method, Firepro Inc.,

Wellesley Hills, MA, 1978.

37
APPENDIX A

CODING STRUCTURES

CODING FOR FIRE FATALITY WORKSHEETS

ID NUMBER (5 digits)

- first two digits used for NCHS state code (attached)

MULTIPLE FATALITY FIRE NUMBER (2 digits)

- number each multiple fatality fire under ID number

00 for single fatality fire

BLOCK A ^ DATE OF DEATH (6 digits)'^

Month (2 digits)

Day (2 digits)

Year (2 digits)

AGE (2 digits)^

Actual age except

01

for ages 00 and 01

99 for 99 and above

00 for unknown

SEX (1 digit)

1 male

2 female

RACE (1 digit)

1 white

2 black

3 American Indian

4 Asian (Japanese, Chinese, Philipino, Korean, Asian Indian,

Vietnamese, Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders)

5 Spanish (Mexican, Puerto Rican, Ciiban)

9 Race, Not Classified Above

BLOCK B

PLACE OF DEATH

City/Town

County

State

(10 digits)

(5 digit census code)

(3 digit census code)

(2 digit NCHS code attached)

PLACE OF RESIDENCE (10 digits)^

Same as "PLACE OF DEATH"

BLOCK C

DATE OF FIRE (6 digits)'^

Same as "DATE OF DEATH"

TIME OF FIRE (MILITARY) (4 digits)^

0000 = Unknown

DAY (1 digit)

1 Sunday

2 Monday

3 Tuesday

4 Wednesday

5 Thursday

6 Friday

7 Saturday

0 Unknown

1 If code is unknown or not reported fill data element with appropriate number of zeros.

38
AFFILIATION OF VICTIM (1 digit)

1 Fire Service

2 Other Emergency Personnel

3 Civilian

BLOCK D

CAUSE OF DEATH (1 digit)

1 Smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide, etc.

2 Burns

3 Smoke Inhalation and burns

4 Cremation

9 Other

0

Not reported

E-CODE (5 digits)^

NCHS External cause of death code

1978 Code has form OOXXX or OXXXX

1979 Code has form XXX.

X

MULTIPLE FATALITY FIRE (2 digits)^

Number of fatalities (2 digits)

00

Not Multiple Fatality Fire

BLOCK E , ADDRESS (13 digits)'^

Street Address - Omit

City/Town (5 digit census code)

Zip Code (5 digits)

County (3 digit census code)

BLOCK F

WAS FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED? IF YES, TYPE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT (1 digit)

0 Not called

1 Yes, all paid

2 Yes, part paid

3 Yes, all volunteer

8 Response unknown

9 Yes, type unknown

RUN TIME (In minutes - 2 digits)^

00 Unknown

BLOCK G

POPULATION OF PLACE (2 digits)

01 Under 2,500

02 2,500-5,000

03 5,000-10,000

04 10,000-25,000

05 25,000-50,000

06 50,000-100,000

07 100,000-250,000

08 250,000-500,000

09 500,000-1,000,000

10 Over 1,000,000

00 Not reported

39
BLOCK H

PROPERTY TYPE (2 digits)

41 One/two family

42 Apartment

47 Mobile home

44 Hotel

04 Other residential

01 Public assembly

02 Educational

03 Institutional

05 Store, office

06 Industry, utility, defense

08 Storage

07 Manufacturing

0

0 Unknown

2 "Other" is coded with appropriate 2 digit NFIRS code'^ except

09 Vehicle fire

45 Travel trailer

BLOCK I ORIGIN OF FIRE (2 digits)

14 Living room/family room

21 Bedroom

23 Dining room

24 Kitchen

25 Bathroom

42 Closet

47 Garage/carport

62 Heating equipment room/water heater area

75 Concealed wall space

00

Undetermined/not reported

2 "Not Classified Above" is coded with appropriate NFIRS'^ code

BLOCK J

EQUIPMENT INVOLVED (2 digits)

11 Central heating unit

13 Stationary local heating unit

14 Fireplace

15 Portable local heating unit

01 Chimney

02 Cooking equipment

03 Fixed wiring

04 Switch, receptacle, outlet

05 Cord, plug

06 Television, radio, phonograph

08 No equipment involved

00 Undetermined/not reported

2 "Not Classified Above" coded with appropriate NFIRS code'^

BLOCK K

FORM OF HEAT IGNITION (2 digits)

01 Gas fueled equipment

02 Liquid fueled equipment

03 Solid fueled equipment

04 Short circuit

31 Cigarette

44 Candle

45 Match

46 Lighter

05 Properly operating electrical equipment

06 Improperly operating electrical equipment

00 Undetermined/not reported

2 "Not Classified Above" coded with appropriate NFIRS code'^

2 Use 99 if no NFIRS code applies.

40
BLOCK L

TYPE OF MATERIAL IGNITED (2 digits)

01 Natural gas

02 LP gas

03 Gasoline

04 Cooking oil, grease

05 Other food

06 Sawn wood, framing

07 Hardwood, plywood, fiberboard

08 Paper

09 Fabric

00 Undetermined/not reported

2 "Not Classified Above" coded with appropriate NFIRS code'^

BLOCK M

FORM OF MATERIAL IGNITED (2 digits)

01 Interior wall covering, surface

02 Thermal, acoustical insulation

21 Upholstered furniture

03 Mattress/bedding

34 Wearing apparel not on a person

35 Wearing apparel on a person

44 Magazine, newspaper

04 Rubbish, trash waste

05 Cooking materials

00 Undetermined/not reported

2 "Not Classified Above" coded with appropriate NFIRS code^

BLOCK N

IGNITION FACOTR (2 digits)

01 Incendiary/suspicious

31 Abandoned, discarded material (cigarette)

33 Falling asleep

36 Children playing

41 Fuel spilled, released accidentally

46 Combustible too close to heat

51 Part failure, leak, break

54 Short circuit, ground fault

56 Lack of mainenance, worn out

63 Installed too close to combustibles

73 Unattended

00 Undetermined/not reported

"Not Classified Above" coded with appropriate NFIRS code except

08 Murder

09 Suicide

BLOCK 0

LOCATION AT TIME OF IGNITION (1 digit)

1 Intimately involved with ignition

2 In the room or space of fire origin

4 In same building as origin of fire

5 Outside of building of fire origin

0 Undetermined/not reported

9 Not classified above
BLOCK P

CONDITION BEFORE INJURY (1 digit)

1 Asleep

2 Bedridden or physically handicapped

3 Impaired by drugs, alcohol

4 Under restraint

5 Too young to act

6 Too old to act

7 Mentally handicapped, senile

8 Awake, Unimpaired

9 Not classified above

0

Undetermined/not reported

BLOCK Q

WAS THERE A SMOKE DETECTOR PRESENT? IF SO, DID IT OPERATE? (1 digit)

0 Undetermined/not reported

1 Present and operated

2 Present and did not operate

7 Present and operation not reported

8 Not present

BLOCK R

BLOCK R WILL BE CODED WITH

1-14 letters (left justified blank filled) indicating block of

this form for which additional information is provided in

NARRATIVE

BLOCK S

WAS AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED? (1 digit)

1 Yes

0 No

WAS A BLOOD SAMPLE TAKEN? (1 digit)

1 Yes

0 No

DRUGS PRESENT? (1 digit)

1 Yes

0 No

9

Not reported

BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT (4 digits)

Percentage of Form X.XX

9999 - Unknown

CARBOXY HEMOGLOBIN (4 digits)

Percentage of Form XX.

X

9999 - Unknown

BLOCK T

DATA SOURCES (2 digits)

For convenience, we use the abbreviation

DC for Death Certificate

FIR for Fire Incident Report

TPC for Telephone/Personal Contact

NR for Newspaper Report

0 for Other

42
01 DC only

02 FIR only

03 TPC only

04 NR only

05 0 only

31 DC + 0

32 FIR + 0

33 TPC + 0

34 NR + 0

11 DC + FIR

12 DC + TPC

13 DC + NR

14 FIR + TPC

15 FIR + NR

16 TPC + NR

41 DC + FIR + 0 42 DC + TPC + 0 43 DC + NR + 0

44 FIR + TPC + 0

45 FIR + NR + 0

46 TPC + NR + 0

21 DC + FIR + TPC

22 DC + FIR + NR

23 DC + TPC + NR

24 FIR + TPC + NR

29 DC + FIR + TPC + NR

51 DC + FIR + TPC + 0

52 DC + FIR + NR + 0

53 DC + TPC + NR + 0

54 FIR + TPC + NR + 0

59 DC + FIR + TPC + NR + 0

00 NOT REPORTED

43
DEFINITION OF FIRE "CAUSES

Cause EQP

NFPA 901 Codes

FHI IGF

Incendiary,

Suspicious - - 11, 12,

21, 22

Children

Playing - - 36, 48

Smoking - 30 - 39 -

Heating 10 - 19 - -

Cooking 20 - 29 - -

Electrical 40 - 49 — - Distribution - 28, 54 “

Appliances 30 - 39

50 - 54

56 - 59

Open 41 - 43 32, 35

Flame 87 44 - 47

Unknown

Other

53, 55

00, 97, 99

Non-Numeric

ALL OTHER

EQP ; Equipment Involved in Ignition

FHI: Form of Heat of Ignition

IGF; Ignition Factor

44
APPENDIX B

CALCULATION OF POPULATIONS BY POPULATION INTERVAL

After reviewing available sources of population data, it was found that there

appears to be no single definitive approach to calculating populations by population

interval. The U.S. Fire Administration has developed population by population

interval calculations for the time period in question, but they are for "population

protected" not for the population of fatality location needed for this study. While

"population protected" is adequate for the upper population intervals (> 50,000) , it

is apparent that considerable discrepancies exist between "population protected" and

population of fatality location for population below 50,000.

Census figures [6] provide 1970 populations by population interval, but include

s\ibstantial "other urban" and "other rural" categories, which are not defined by

population interval.

A method was therefore developed to estimate populations by population interval,

using various sources and assumptions, and was used for all states except as noted.

First, the USFA populations for intervals of over 50,000 population were used

directly, as was the total population for each state. These were compared with

interval totals calculated from Rand McNally Commercial Atlas estimates, and no significant discrepancies were found. An assumption, that the "other rural" category

given by 1970 Census totals consisted entirely of areas of under 2500 population,

was then made. The Census Supplementary Report PC (SI) -108 [7] was then used to

calculate the "other urban" population which belonged in the < 2500 population

interval. The 1970 interval of < 2500 was then calculated by siomming these "other

urban" areas of < 2500 population, all Census places of < 2500, and the "other

rural" total. An additional assumption was then made, that rural (< 2500) population

change in each state between 1970 and 1978 was essentially the same as between 1960

and 1970 (in most cases, a slight decline or little change). This assumption enabled

the calculation of total population for the < 2500 interval for 1978.

The calculated 1978 populations for intervals > 50,000 and < 2500 were subtracted

from the 1978 totals, with the remainder falling in intervals between 2500 and

50,000. The distribution of this remainder among the four intervals in this range

was calculated using an additional source. Census documents Series P-25 [8]

.

The

total populations in each of the four intervals between 2500 and 50,000 population

as of July 1, 1977 was calculated by adding the populations of individual places

given in the Series P-25. The 1978 population total for the 2500 - 50,000 range was

then distributed among the four intervals within this range in accordance with the

distribution calculated for 1977 from the Series P-25.

Two exceptions to the above method of population calculation were made.

Wisconsin provided us with a recent census (1/1/79) of population by population

interval, which was used directly. (Wisconsin's population distribution was also

calculated by the described method, and the results were found to be similar to the

figures provided to us.) Delaware's population calculation was based entirely on

the PC(S1)-108 calculations for populations over 2500, due to the presence of several

large unincorporated areas in the state.

Finally these state population estimates by population interval were totaled

for HIGH and LOW states. These estimates, listed in tables 2 and 3, were used for

all subsequent fatality rate calculations.

Given the assumptions which had to be made, and the limited amount of information

regarding population intervals that is currently available, there is considerable

uncertainty regarding the accuracy of the populations and fatality rates calculated

from them. Until better information can be obtained (perhaps from 1980 Census

tabulations) these estimates appear to be the best available and are used as such.

45
NBS-114A (REV. 2 -ec)

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET (See instructions)

1. PUBLICATION OR

REPORT NO.

NBSIR 82-2519

2. Performing Organ. Report NoJ 3. Publication Date June 1982

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

RURAL AND NON-RURAL CIVILIAN RESIDENTIAL FIRE FATALITIES IN

TWELVE STATES

5. AUTHOR(S)

A. Gomberg and L. P. Clark

6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION (If joint or other than NBS, see instructions)

national bureau of standards

7. Contract/Grant No.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

8. Type of Report & Period Covered

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street. City. State. ZIP)

Federal Emergency Management Agency

National Fire Data Center

U.S. Fire Administration

Washington, D.C. 20472

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

I I Document (describes a computer program; SF-185, FIPS Software Summary, is attached.

11.

ABSTRACT (A 200~word or less factual summary of most significant information. If document includes a significant

bi bliography or literature survey, mention it here)

The results of an analysis of fire causal factors in over 1600

fire fatalities are presented. The primary emphasis is on the

identification of fire causes leading to demonstrated high fatality

rates in rural areas. It was found that the most significant rural

fire fatality cause was heating equipment, with improper installation

and misuse of solid fueled heating equipment predominating. Other fire

causes making significant contributions to high rural fatality rates

were also investigated and documented. Additional data are currently

being collected to enable further evaluation of rural fire problems.

12.

KEY WORDS (Six to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only proper names; and separate key words by semicolons)

Residential fires; fire fatalities; fire cause; fire data; fire

statistics; heating equipment; rural fires.

13.

AVAILABILITY

Uni imited 03] Foe Official Distribution. Do Not Release to NTIS

Order From Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

20402.

[^5 Order From National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA. 22161

14. NO. OF

PRINTED PAGES

52

15. Price

$9.00

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