Wrapping up a deadly winter
March 29, 2018
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| Photo: This Jan. 5 fire in Alexandria killed two people. Our SFMD investigators determined careless smoking started the fire. |
You’ve spent months scraping your car windows, shoveling your sidewalks, and covering every inch of skin just to go walk the dog – and you’re tired of it. In short, you’re thrilled spring is here (even if the weather hasn’t been cooperating so far). Our State Fire Marshal Division (SFMD) staff were also happy to wave goodbye to this winter because it was one of the deadliest in 10 years.
Specifically, from Nov. 1 through March 20, 28 people died in fires in Minnesota. The only winter that had more deaths was 2013-2014, when 33 people died in fires between Nov. 1 and March 20. The next highest was the 2016-2017 winter with 25 deaths, while the 2009-2010 winter saw 11 deaths.
It’s true that Minnesota winters tend to see more fire deaths than our other seasons. We’re inside more (where it’s harder to get away from fires), using lots of different heat sources to stave off the cold. We may have forgotten to have our furnace checked; we may leave a space heater too close to the couch; we may build a fire without having the chimney cleaned first. Smokers may find it too cold to go outside and instead have a cigarette on the screened-in porch – in fact, careless smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Minnesota. In short, the same behaviors we engage in to keep ourselves warm may make us very unsafe if we’re not careful.
Hopefully spring weather is just around the corner, but you can use the time waiting for the sunshine to brush up on your fire prevention skills. Let’s start with smoking: Have anyone who smokes do so outside. More importantly, give them a sturdy container filled with sand or water in which to dispose of their cigarette butts. Ask them to avoid flicking them into potted plants of piles of leaves — those are great places for them to smolder and start a fire. Also, remember that smoking and medical oxygen are a deadly mix. Keep them far apart.
If you’re cooking, stay in the kitchen while you’re doing it. Grease fires can ignite and spread within seconds. Use flameless candles – again, it only takes a few seconds to start a fire with a real candle flame. And if you still need that space heater, plug it directly into the wall, keep it three feet from anything flammable, and never leave it unattended (that includes sleeping).
Let’s face it: one fire death is too many. But 28 families suffering the loss of a loved one to fires, most of which are preventable, is just too much. With some preparation and vigilance, though, you can avoid being part of those statistics – this winter or ever.
