NFPA Issues Report on 2012 Fire Loss in the United States

The National Fire Protection Association recently reported that U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,375,000 fires in 2012. These fires resulted in 2,855 civilian fire fatalities, 16,500 civilian fire injuries, and an estimated $12,427,000,000 in direct property loss. There was a civilian fire death on the average of every 3 hours and 4 minutes and a civilian fire injury every 32 minutes in 2012.

Home fires caused 2,380, or 83%, of the civilian fire deaths. Fires accounted for four percent of the 31,854,000 total calls. Seven percent of the calls were false alarms; sixty-eight percent of the calls were for emergency medical and other aid calls.

The fire loss report also reflected that the number of structure fires has steadily declined in recent years, from their peak in 1977 of 1,098,000 to 480,500 in 2012.

To access the complete report, please visit:

NFPA: Fire Loss in the United States in 2012 (September 2013)

Background information:

National Fire Protection Association