In the United States, a fire department responds to a house fire every 85 seconds. (Image courtesy: CPSC.gov)
Once again, as we “fall back” to end daylight savings time and return to standard time, it’s a perfect time to change your smoke alarm batteries. Adopting the habit of changing smoke alarm batteries either at the end or the beginning of daylight savings time will keep your family safe and protect your home from fire and smoke damage.
Every 85 seconds, a fire department responds to a home fire somewhere in the United States. Residential fires destroy thousands of homes each year and leave devastated families searching for answers. In 2013 alone, 365,000 fires occurred in home structures resulting in 2,380 deaths and 12,875 civilian injuries. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns that nearly two-thirds of these home fires occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working smoke alarms. Thus, it is imperative to change the alarm batteries once a year and the fire alarm itself every 10 years.
While smoke alarms aid in the detection of home fires, all too often, home fires are the result of negligence on behalf of a property owner, appliance manufacturer, or independent contractor. The negligence of a third party can also cause a house fire to spread more quickly or even decrease your chances of escaping safely. When a residential fire is caused or escalated by the actions of a third party, a home fire victim may have a claim against the negligent party for his or her injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of a home fire caused by the negligent or intentional actions of another, it is important to retain legal advice from an experienced personal injury attorney. I am a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer with over 30 years of experience in helping the injured, proudly serving the people of Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and Okeechobee. Call me for a free case analysis and evaluation.
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