2006 Marked Drop in Civilian Fire Fatalities

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The FDNY recorded 85 civilian fire deaths in 2006, one of the lowest totals in almost a century.

“This is a remarkable accomplishment for the city, the department and every firefighter,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta.

It is being hailed as the third lowest total in the history of the Department (77 deaths were recorded in 1919 and 82 in 2004).

This also marked the lowest sustained five-year period since the Department started keeping records in 1916 – with an average of 98 deaths per year since 2002.

Commissioner Scoppetta said the drop was due, in part, to fire safety education.

In recent years, fire safety educators have been dispatched to communities in the aftermath of a fire, to inform neighbors about how a fire started and how it could have been prevented.

Schools have also increased their fire safety programs, encouraging children to apply their fire safety knowledge at home.

Winter Fire Safety Tips

• If you have a real tree, keep it watered and away from heat sources, sparks or flames;
• Use only UL approved lights and wiring and do not overload connections.
• Never leave lit candles unattended;
• Never attempt to heat your home with the oven (call 311 to report no heat);
• Use only UL approved space heaters and keep them away from furniture, bedding, curtains and other flammable materials;
• Do not smoke in bed. Make sure all cigarette butts are extinguished before discarding;
• Make sure you always have a properly working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home.