As we approach the holiday season, it’s a good idea to remind ourselves of one of the biggest dangers we will face throughout the year. It’s the danger of a fire in the home.

A report from the National Fire Protection Association released last month reveals the following deadly statistics from last year in the United States:

* There were 402,000 house fires during 2003.

* A residential fire occurs every 79 seconds somewhere in this nation.

* 3,145 civilian fire deaths occurred in the home, an increase of 17.4% over last year.

* 18,125 civilian fire injuries occurred in 2003, a decrease of 1.6%. This estimate for civilian injuries is on the low side, due to under reporting of civilian injuries to the fire service.

* A civilian injury due to fire occurs every 29 minutes.

* Property damage due to fire last year is estimated at $12.3 billion.

* Intentionally set fires in structures resulted in 305 civilian deaths, a decrease of 12.9% from a year ago.

The entire report is available for download at www.money99.com by clicking on "additional resources" and selecting the NFPA Report.

The NFPA also reports that smoking was the leading cause of home fire deaths overall, but in the months of December, January and February, heating equipment caused as many fire deaths as did smoking.

In light of these sobering statistics, it is wise to take a few minutes and review a few fire safety tips for your home. The NFPA recommends that three areas be stressed in the prevention of death and injury due to fire. The first is use and maintenance of smoke detectors, second is use of extinguishers, and last is the establishment and use of escape routes in the event of fire.

Here are some tips regarding smoke detectors:

* Make sure there is a working smoke detector installed on or near the ceiling on every level of your home, and outside all sleeping areas.

* Test every detector at least once a month. Make sure you know where the test button is and how to use it. If you can’t find the test button, replace the detector.

* Keep your smoke detectors free of dust and other debris. If needed, vacuum the interior to remove excess dust. Never paint over a smoke detector. Instead, remove it from the wall and replace it after painting.

* If a detector begins chirping or fails during any test, replace the battery. If it still fails to operate, replace the detector. Many smoke detectors are built to last around ten years, and must be replaced periodically.

* Newer homes have smoke detectors hard wired into the ceiling. If you have these, make sure the little signal light blinks from time to time. This is your signal that the unit is working.

Fire extinguishers are still your best bet if you happen to be present when a fire begins.

* Fire extinguishers should be mounted in the kitchen and garage.

* Purchase an ABC type extinguisher for most fire types you will encounter around the home.

* Use an extinguisher for small fires only. If it’s a big fire, get out and call 911 from another location.

And some ideas on your emergency escape plan:

* Have at least two ways out of each room.

* Sleep with your bedroom door closed - it helps hold back heat and smoke. But if the door feels hot, don’t open it. Use another exit.

* Window escape ladders are easy to use and inexpensive. I found several types at home improvement centers for under a hundred dollars.

* Agree on a location outside the house where the family is to meet for a head count. Make sure no one goes back inside the house.

I have personally been in the property management business for almost thirty years, and had never experienced a home fire until recently. A resident was heating grease in a frying pan when she became distracted by her small children. When she returned to the kitchen, flames from the skillet reached almost to the ceiling.

Appropriately, she gathered her children, left the house, and called 911 from next door. Fire fighters arrived quickly and extinguished the blaze. My residents were unharmed, but shaken. The house was almost a total loss.

Fortunately, we had another home nearby that was unoccupied. So we moved this family immediately into a similar property and the impact on their lives was minimal. But the lesson I learned from this experience is that fires can start and grow very quickly, and we all need to be prepared, even when we think it can’t happen to us.

My Thanksgiving wish for you and your loved ones is that you never experience a home fire of any intensity. But just to be safe, why not cut out the above tips and share them with your friends and relatives. They might just save a life.

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Next week we will look at the difference between inexpensive smoke detectors and the top of the line models, and decide which makes sense for your home.