Life-saving fire sprinklers should be more
prevalent
While on my flight to speak at a fire safety
event, an article caught my attention. It was titled “U.S Requires New Cars to
Have Backup Cameras.” My first thought was there must be a huge problem if the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is requiring new cars to have
backup cameras. Then I was somewhat surprised to read that there are nearly 210
backover deaths each year. About a third of those deaths are children, and many
of these accidents are caused by parents. The article stated that rear-facing
cameras would save between 59 and 69 deaths a year.
By contrast, the United States Fire Administration reports that fire kills 3,400 and injures 17,500 people each
year. I was burned as a young child in a house fire. As such, I am acutely
aware of the number of people who needlessly die or are injured in fires.
I sat on that flight with many mixed
feelings. As a fire safety advocate, I’m excited any time a safety measure that
will save even just one life is enacted. However, as a burn survivor, I felt
frustrated and angry that similar safety measures haven’t been implemented in
homes to prevent fires. What makes me even angrier is that the technology to
prevent these deaths and injuries exists—they're called fire sprinklers. It’s
taken quite a few decades to install them in new homes at a very slow rate.
NHTSA is to be highly commended and
applauded for their public safety efforts. Since its inception, seatbelts have
saved 280,000 lives and air bags have saved 28,000 lives. Now another safety
device will be added to cars to prevent even more deaths.
Because of my past, I investigated how many
children die in fires. I looked at the FEMA report “Fire Risk to Children 2010.” In 2010, 357 children died in fires. That’s about five times more
children than those killed in backover deaths annually. The children most
likely to die or be injured are newborns through age four -- those who can’t
escape by themselves. If those statistics don’t grab at your heartstrings, I
don’t know what would.
Anthony Foxx, United States Secretary of
Transportation, said in the article, “Safety is our highest priority, and we
are committed to protecting the most vulnerable victims of backover
accidents—our children and seniors. As a father, I can only imagine how
heart-wrenching these types of accidents can be for families, but we hope that
today’s rule will serve as a significant step toward reducing these tragic
accidents.”
Sometimes when children die in fires, no body
is found. I can’t imagine having to bury a child, but I certainly can’t
comprehend not having a body to bury.
According to the FEMA report, 87% of
fire-related casualties to children occurred in homes. That’s 87% of 357
children — 310 children who die in their own homes. We have the capability of
saving 310 children a year. The
technology exists — it’s a scientific fact that fire sprinklers save lives,
reduce property loss and decrease injuries.
There’s no way to comprehend the devastating
effects of burn trauma unless it happens to you or a family member. Why do we
wait for a horrific event that warrants litigation before we’re compelled to
change? Unless prevention becomes the highest priority of the fire service and
its advocates, we can expect to continue to see these horrific statistics; this
makes me very sad and irate at the same time.
I can only hope that comparing these
statistics will somehow motivate fellow safety advocates and the fire service
to take action. We need to stand united in the message that fire sprinklers
save the lives of both citizens and firefighters.
- Pamela Elliott, RN and fire survivor
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