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Consider this: A fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the U.S. every 16 seconds. A residential fire occurs every 74 seconds. To protect your family, you should understand the nature of fire.
In television and movies, fire is often portrayed as a bright light, but fire is actually pitch black. You must memorize escape plans. Alarm models with an escape light can help light a pathway. Know how to Make an Escape Plan (PDF).
Fire victims typically succumb to smoke inhalation before flames reach them. More fire deaths occur when people are sleeping. Many people falsely believe that they would awaken during a fire, but toxic gases actually put people into a deeper sleep.
This might seem obvious, but few understand that fire can cause the temperature to rise several hundred degrees in seconds. That degree of heat can prompt the human body to stop functioning and lose consciousness, making escape impossible.
A home can be completely consumed by fire in less than five minutes.
Being prepared in an emergency can save you and your family's lives.