Surveillance and Prevention of Residential-Fire Injuries

Burns are the fourth leading cause of death from unintentional injury in the United States and result in 1.4 million injuries each year. 1,2 Residential fires cause over 75 percent of all deaths from fires and burns. 3-6 The southern part of the United States, including Oklahoma, has the highest regional rate of death from fires (2.5 deaths per 100,000 population) 3,4,7 ; this high rate may be due to rural poverty, a lower prevalence of smoke alarms, and greater use of portable heating equipment. 2,8,9 Although the absence of functional smoke alarms in residential dwellings is a risk factor for subsequent injury or . . .