Official websites use .gov

A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A **lock** () or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content

Visit the U.S. Fire Administration homepage

HotelsLibraryPublicationsBlogImage GalleryPodcastsAboutContact

            - Fire Academy - Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- On-Campus Students
- About
- 
- Fire Academy Home

            - NFIRS - eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS
- 
- NFIRS Home

            - Prevention - Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials
- 
- Fire Prevention Home

            - Statistics - Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department Registry
- State Statistics
- Data Sets
- 
- Statistics Home

            - EMS
            - Wildfire - Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Healthy Landscapes
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog
- 
- Wildfire Home

            - A-Z Index
            - 

- Fire Academy... - Overview
- Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- Campus Life
- About

- NFIRS... - Overview
- eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS

- Fire Prevention... - Overview
- Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials

- Statistics... - Overview
- Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department List
- State Statistics
- Data Sets

- EMS
- Wildfire... - Overview
- Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog

- A-Z Index

            - Hotels
            - Library
            - Publications
            - Blog
            - Image Gallery
            - Podcasts
            - About
            - Contact

- Home
- Prevention
- Home Fires
- Prevent Fires

# Appliance and Electrical Fire Safety

      - Share on:
      - 
      - 
      - 

##### In this section

                - Home Fires                   - Learn About Fire
                  - Prepare for Fire
                  - Prevent Fires                     - Appliances & Electrical
                    - Basements & Garages
                    - Batteries
                    - Candles
                    - Cooking
                    - Heating
                    - Holiday
                    - Home Hazardous Materials
                    - Severe Weather
                  - At-Risk Audiences
                  - After a Fire
                - Arson & Youth Firesetting
                - Hotels & Vacation Rentals
                - Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
                - Vehicle Fires
                - Workplace Fires
                - Life Safety Hazards
                - Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
                - Fire Prevention Officials
                - CRR Blog

It is hard to imagine a home without electricity. We take this utility for granted, but there are fire risks to consider. In 2021, an estimated 24,200 residential building electrical fires were reported to United States fire departments. These fires caused an estimated 295 deaths, 900 injuries and over $1.2 billion in property loss.

Did you know:

Failure to clean (31%) was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in homes from 2018‑2020.

Source: National Fire Incident Reporting System

##  Messages to share

### Appliances

Always plug major appliances — refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers — directly into a wall outlet.

Never use an extension cord with a major appliance. The extension cord can overheat and start a fire.

Unplug small appliances when you are not using them.

Keep anything that can burn away from lamps, light fixtures and light bulbs.

Use lightbulbs that match the recommended wattage on the lamp or fixture.

If the appliance has a cracked, damaged or loose cord, replace the appliance.

### Electrical: Outlet safety

Do not overload outlets.

Insert plugs fully into sockets.

Never force a 3-prong cord into a 2-slot outlet.

Install tamper-resistant electrical outlets if you have young children.

Replace wall outlets if plugs do not fit snugly.

### Electrical: Extension cord, power strips and surge protection safety

Do not overload power strips.

Use power strips that have internal overload protection.

Replace worn, old or damaged extension cords right away.

Avoid putting cords where they can be damaged or pinched, like under a carpet or rug.

## Social media graphics and stock photos 

----

## Pictographs 

Pictographs can help overcome literacy barriers by communicating messages with pictures. Our pictographs will help you to communicate appliance and electrical fire safety messages to high-risk populations.

----

## Handouts

Customize with your logo
              -  English PDF
              -  Spanish PDF

              -  English PDF
              -  Spanish PDF

Customize with your logo
              -  English PDF
              -  Spanish PDF

8½" x 11"; prints 3 to a side, front and back.
              -  English PDF

----

## Videos

 https://youtu.be/qDnj60XYbjk

 https://youtu.be/jT4sGkgnFLg

### More home fire safety resources

          - U.S. Fire Administration publications catalog
          - Basement and garage fire safety
          - Battery fire safety
          - Carbon monoxide safety
          - Heating fire safety
          - Holiday fire safety

Page last reviewed: May 4, 2023

Be prepared.Be informed.Be safe.

            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 

Contact USFA

Information for
                - College/university educators
                - On-campus students
                - Off-campus students
                - Online students
                - NFA instructors
                - Public information officers

                - Public fire educators
                - Researchers
                - State training officials
                - Volunteer fire service
                - Wildland firefighters

About USFA
            - Leadership
            - Events
            - Position statements
            - Strategic plan
            - Job announcements
            - Send us your photos
            - Doing business with us
            - Subscribe to email lists

----

16825 S. Seton Ave.Emmitsburg, MD21727USA

800-238-3358

 Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®

USFA.FEMA.govAn official website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

          - Accessibility
          - Accountability
          - Careers
          - Civil Rights
          - Contact FEMA

          - FOIA
          - Glossary
          - No FEAR Act
          - Plug-Ins
          - Privacy

          - Report Disaster Fraud
          - Website Information
          - DHS.gov
          - USA.gov
          - Inspector General

Current Advisories