People Have False Sense of Security, Fire Survey Finds

An American Red Cross survey found that most people believe they have up to 10 minutes to safely get away from a home fire, when in fact they may have as little as 2 minutes to escape before the situation turns deadly.

People have other misconceptions about home fires too, the study shows. While 41% are confident they can get out of a burning home in less than 2 minutes and 64% of parents surveyed believe their children would know what to do if a fire occurred, only about 10% of families have actually practiced home fire drills, and only 24% have identified a safe place for the family to meet outside the home.

The survey revealed some unsafe practices as well. More than a third of respondents said they use candles instead of flashlights during a power outage, and 17% admit to leaving food unattended on the stove.

The survey was part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which is a multi-year effort aimed at reducing deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25%. The group wants people to take two easy steps to help save lives: Check existing smoke alarms, and practice fire drills.

Learn more about the campaign and the survey at the Red Cross website.