{"id":9554,"date":"2015-01-18T06:00:16","date_gmt":"2015-01-18T12:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/?p=9554"},"modified":"2015-01-17T16:02:09","modified_gmt":"2015-01-17T22:02:09","slug":"tennessee-fire-marshals-office-reports-fire-mortality-rate-in-tennessee-drops-to-historic-low-in-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/2015\/01\/18\/tennessee-fire-marshals-office-reports-fire-mortality-rate-in-tennessee-drops-to-historic-low-in-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Fire Marshal\u2019s Office reports Fire Mortality Rate in Tennessee Drops to Historic Low in 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TennesseeNashville, TN<\/strong> – The State Fire Marshal\u2019s Office (SFMO) has announced that fewer accidental fire-related fatalities occurred in 2014 than in any year in recorded Tennessee history, based on a preliminary examination of all available historic fire records and data by SFMO specialists.<\/p>\n

State fire records show that 72 accidental fire deaths occurred in Tennessee during 2014 which compares to 98 similar fire fatalities in 2013. The 2014 figure represents a 27 percent year-to-year decrease compared to 2013, and a 51 percent decrease compared to 2003\u2019s 146 fire fatalities, which was the highest total for fire-related deaths in the previous 14-year sample period. Final fire fatality figures for 2014 are still pending.\u201cFor too many years, Tennessee has had a tragic reputation as having one of the highest fire mortality death rates in the United States. We want to permanently reverse Tennessee\u2019s reputation for fire fatalities,\u201d said Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. \u201cThe department extends our sympathies to Tennesseans who lost loved ones in fires last year, and we urge Tennesseans to practice good fire safety habits throughout 2015.\u201d<\/p>\n

There can be fluctuations of fire fatalities every year, so experts measure progress over time by utilizing mortality rates of fire deaths. This method also takes into account population changes over time to measure the number of fire deaths proportional to a population.<\/p>\n

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported Tennessee\u2019s 2006-2010 fire death rate to be 17.7 deaths per million which means for every 1 million people in Tennessee, 17.7 deaths occur annually. The 17.7 deaths per million rate gave Tennessee the nation\u2019s 6th highest fire death rate.<\/p>\n

That has changed as new preliminary results show that the state\u2019s fire death rate has decreased to 13.7 deaths per million, equaling a 25.6 percent reduction for 2011-2014 compared to 2006-2010. This is the single largest reduction of the state\u2019s fire mortality rate in Tennessee\u2019s recorded history. Because NFPA only releases rankings every 5 years, the next ranking will be in 2016.<\/p>\n

No single factor has caused the decrease of the state\u2019s fire mortality rate. Instead, SFMO experts believe a variety of larger factors such as an increased public awareness of fires, fewer structure fires in 2014, more smoke alarms and improved outreach and cooperation between the SFMO, local fire agencies and communities have all helped. The \u201cGet Alarmed Tennessee\u201d smoke alarm distribution program perfectly highlights the SFMO\u2019s strategy toward reducing fire deaths.<\/p>\n

Begun in November 2012, the \u201cGet Alarmed Tennessee\u201d program is today responsible for more than 68,000 smoke alarms being distributed for free by the SFMO\u2019s more than 300 fire partners in homes across Tennessee. Smoke alarms installed as part of the program have saved more than 70 lives so far.<\/p>\n

A smoke alarm installation event will happen in Nashville on January 19th, 2015 when the Nashville Area Chapter of the American Red Cross and St. Luke\u2019s Community House will gather more than 150 volunteers for the Community Fire Safety \u201cKnock and Walk\u201d on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.<\/p>\n

[320left]Volunteers will be knock on doors and install more than 500 free smoke alarms from the SFMO in homes in the Nations neighborhood in West Nashville. The event is made possible by a grant from The HCA Foundation and support from the Nashville Fire Department. State Rep. John Ray Clemmons and Rep. Harold Love are expected to attend. Media coverage is invited.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe No. 1 goal of the State Fire Marshal\u2019s Office is preventing loss of life during a fire,\u201d said Gary West, Deputy Commissioner for Fire Prevention. \u201cRaising awareness of fire prevention and successfully working with homeowners and fire departments has been crucial to saving lives. We thank our partners in local fire departments across Tennessee and the residents who opened their homes to our teams and volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

An examination of records by SFMO fire experts reveals new data that fire investigators and fire prevention educators can use to prevent more fires and keep the fires that do occur from being as catastrophic.<\/p>\n