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# Smoking Fire Safety

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##### In this section

                - Home Fires                   - Learn About Fire
                  - Prepare for Fire
                  - Prevent Fires
                  - At-Risk Audiences                     - Children
                    - College Students
                    - Disabilities
                    - Hoarding
                    - Older Adults
                    - Smoking
                  - After a Fire
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                - Fire Prevention Officials
                - CRR Blog

As a member of the fire service, you know all too well the dangers of unattended or improperly discarded smoking materials. For many years, smoking has been a leading cause of home fire deaths.

Did you know:

The 2021 national estimates for residential building smoking fires and losses show that there were 7,800 fires, 275 deaths, 750 injuries and $361,500,000 in dollar loss.

##  Messages to share with smokers

Smoke outside. Many things in your home can catch on fire if they touch something hot like a cigarette or ashes. It is always safer to smoke outside.

Put cigarettes out all the way. Do this every time. Don’t walk away from lit cigarettes and other smoking materials. Put water on the ashes and butts to make sure they are really out before you put them in the trash.

Be alert. Do not smoke after taking medicine that makes you tired. You may not be able to prevent or escape from a fire if you are sleepy or have taken medicine that makes you tired.

Never smoke around medical oxygen. Medical oxygen can explode if a flame or spark is nearby. Even if the oxygen is turned off, it can still catch on fire.

Never smoke in bed. Mattresses and bedding can catch on fire easily. Do not smoke in bed because you might fall asleep with a lit cigarette.

Put your cigarette out in an ashtray or bucket with sand. Use ashtrays with a wide base so they won’t tip over and start a fire.

### E-cigarettes

The main cause of e-cigarette fires and explosions is failure of the lithium-ion batteries.

Don't charge your e-cigarette with a phone or tablet charger.

Don't charge your e-cigarette overnight.

Protect your e-cigarette from extreme temperatures.

Store loose batteries for your e-cigarette in a case.

Keep e-cigarettes away from metal objects.

## Social media graphics and stock photos 

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## Pictographs 

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

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## Handouts

Customize with your logo
              -  English PDF

Customize with your logo
              -  English PDF
              -  Spanish PDF

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## Video

https://youtu.be/awGcifctlVE

### More fire safety resources

          - Fire safety for college students
          - Home fire escape plans
          - Older adult fire safety
          - Smoke alarms

Page last reviewed: May 4, 2023

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