The Hartford Fire Index: Top 100 Cities With Highest Fire Risk

A new report released by The Hartford highlights the 100 U.S. cities with the highest home fire risk. According to The Hartford Home Fire Index, the top five cities are:

A complete list of the 100 U.S. cities can be found at https://www.thehartford.com/sites/the_hartford/files/junior-fire-marshal-infographic.pdf. The Index is based on an analysis of the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and a survey conducted by The Hartford on fire safety and prevention behaviors among the general population.

According to the survey, the top causes of house fires are electrical (26%), cooking/stove (25%) or a candle (12%). According to The Hartford’s claims data, home fires are most likely to occur on July 5, in summer due to lightning strikes, on Christmas Eve due to cooking fires and in the two weeks after Christmas as a result of electrical fires.

By region, the insurer found that wildfires are the most common cause of wildfires in the West and Southwest, while lightning caused the most house fires in the South. The Northeast sustained the most heating-related fires.

A home fire is reported in the U.S. every 86 seconds and 33 percent of home fires are started by children 6-9 years old, according to the National Fire Protection Association. As part of the 70th anniversary of The Hartford’s Junior Fire Marshal program, one of the country’s oldest corporate-sponsored public education programs, the company has committed to donate a total of $2 million to local school districts and fire departments for fire safety education. In addition, the company will provide educational materials to 1.5 million children in kindergarten through third grade. The funding and resources will go to the 100 U.S. cities identified in The Hartford’s Home Fire Index.

“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 The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. “We are proud of our heritage and the legacy of the Junior Fire Marshal 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.”

Over the next three years, The Hartford is making a $2 million donation and commitment to the following:

• Donate $10,000 to the public school district in each of the 100 cities to support ongoing fire safety education for a total of $1 million.
• Donate $10,000 to local fire departments in each of the 100 cities to support ongoing fire safety education for a total of $1 million.
• Provide educational materials to 1.5 million children in kindergarten through third grade in each of the public schools in the 100 cities. The Hartford Junior Fire Marshal classroom kit comes with the insurer’s signature red fire helmets, an educator and parent guide and coloring posters designed to introduce fire safety concepts to children.

In addition to this pledge and financial commitment, The Hartford has created a mobile fire safety house that will visit schools in select cities across the U.S. to immerse students in fire safety demonstrations using state-of-the-art technology that simulates various home fire situations.

For more information about The Hartford’s Home Fire Index and Junior Fire Marshal Program, visit www.thehartford.com/jfm.

Source: The Hartford