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The bottom five cities on the list are:
The Hartford based its index on an analysis of the US Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and a survey the insurer conducted on fire safety and prevention among the general population.
A home fire is reported every 86 seconds in the US, according to The Hartford. The Hartford’s index lists several common behaviors that are moderate or high fire risks – including leaving the kitchen while cooking something on the stove, leaving a room with a candle burning, or even charging a phone overnight. According to The Hartford, charging a phone overnight is a moderate fire risk – but 86% of Americans have done so in the last year.
Thirty-three percent of home fires are started by children between the ages of six and nine. As part of The Hartford’s Junior Fire Marshal Program – one of the oldest corporate-sponsored public-education programs in the country – the insurer has committed to donating $2 million to local school districts and fire departments for fire safety education. The Hartford will also provide educational materials to 1.5 million children in kindergarten through the third grade. The money and resources will go to the 100 cities with the highest home fire risk, the insurer said.
“Since The Hartford’s beginning as a fire insurance company more than 200 years ago, we have been committed to fire prevention and safety,” said Christopher Swift, chairman and CEO of The Hartford. “We are proud of our heritage and the legacy of the Junior Fire Marshall program, but there is still more we can do to help build safer communities. Home fires continue to be an issue today. Our goal is to empower everyday kids to become everyday heroes by providing them with the tools and training to reduce fire risk in their homes and be safe.”
