VERMONT REPORT OF THE FIRE MARSHAL 2001 – 2003
	Michael Bertrand, Commissioner Dept. of Labor & Industry	Kerry Sleeper, Commissioner Dept. of Public Safety

This document is an abridged version of the traditional Report of the Fire Marshal. It contains summary data on the cause of fatal fires, the total number of incidents and structure fires reported to the Department for the last 5 years. It also contains summary information on firefighter injury and death. The abridged report highlights information on the impact of the smoke detector laws and the performance of smoke alarms. The law requiring smoke alarms in single-family dwellings has now been in effect for 10 years.

Both the abridged and complete versions of the Vermont – Report of the Fire Marshal are compiled with the assistance of the Vermont State Police and the Vermont Fire Academy. Statistics are included on investigation and training activities in addition to the inspection and educational activities of the Fire Prevention Division, Department of Labor & Industry.

The complete version of the report contains additional comparisons of fire data, trends in the fire data compared to previous years, an individual break down of statistics for each fire department for 2001 – 2003, information on state fire safety programs and a complete breakdown on firefighter injury. Copies of the complete version of the report are being sent to all fire departments. For additional copies of either report  or 1-800-640-2106.

	Causes of Civilian Fire Deaths 1999-2003   1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 % of total '99-'03  Smoking Materials 5 5 2 1 2 23%  Heating Equipment 0 0 2 2 6 15%  Vehicle Collision 1 0 4 0 4 14%  Open Flame 5 1 0 0 1 11%  Electrical 0 4 0 0 2 9%  Unintentional 0 1 1 0 0 3%  Cooking 0 0 0 1 0 2%  Explosion 0 0 0 0 1 2%  Undetermined 1 11 0 1 1 21%  Totals 12 22 9 5 17 100%
	Incident Type Reported   1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total EMS 9097 8870 9209 1033 10527 48036 False Alarm 2507 2692 2930 3141 2892 14162 FIRE 2657 1958 2671 2572 2444 12302 Other 2404 1917 2159 2261 2091 10832 Hazardous Condition 1857 1819 2017 2476 2338 10507 Service Call 1576 1673 1743 1615 1818 8425 Total 20098 18929 20729 22398 22110 104264
	Types and Number of Structural Fires Property Type 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Grand Total 1&2 Family 595 522 539 502 503 2661 Unknown 100 134 179 293 344 1050 Multi-Family 169 182 171 205 176 903 Other Residential 44 47 86 125 138 440 Business Mercantile 62 44 44 45 53 248 Storage 52 44 45 48 50 239 Assembly 30 33 27 26 34 150 Manufacturing 58 24 32 7 19 140 Outside Roadway 16 15 19 28 26 104 Healthcare/ Correctional 19 13 30 19 22 103 Industrial 16 16 21 10 12 75 Educational 14 10 14 11 13 62 None   3 7 2 4 16 Grand Total 1175 1087 1214 1321 1394 6191

January 2004 marks the 10^th anniversary of the law requiring smoke detectors to be installed in single-family dwellings. Smoke detectors have been required to be installed in multi-family and rental housing in Vermont for 28 years. New installations require smoke detectors to have power from the building and a battery. In spite of the state laws requiring the installation of smoke detectors and the support of numerous fire departments that have organized smoke detector installation programs for their communities, one remaining common factor in most fatal fires is the lack of properly installed and working smoke detectors. Smoke detectors were reported as operating in only 4 out of the 38 fatal fires in residential occupancies during the years 1999-2003.

Fire is fast. People need to know that. In most dwelling units more than one smoke detector is needed to give adequate warning to allow time for the occupants to escape. Smoke detectors need to be properly installed, maintained and replaced as needed. For additional information on the state laws regarding smoke detector installation, public awareness information on smoke detectors or the availability of smoke detectors for community smoke detector installation programs  or 1-800-640-2106.

The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) version 5.0, fire data reporting system, has now been in use for 5 years. The data on fires and other incidents received from fire departments shows a dramatic and almost total shift from reporting using paper forms under the previous version to using electronic reporting under the current version. (Please see the chart below for data comparison.) This will likely allow the department to phase out the previous reporting system (4.1) by Dec. 31, 2004. The current NFIRS version provides better information on fire and carbon monoxide incidents in a system that is easier to both submit and manage the data. It also provides for expanded collection of data in areas such as juvenile fire setting and fire department resources. To send in fire data, or for assistance and information, contact assistant state fire marshal Stan Baranowski or administrative assistant Donna Basford at vfirs@labind.state.vt.us or call 1-800-640-2106.

For 2002, the last year that information is available at the national level, there were 97 line of duty deaths in the fire service. Heart attack continued to be the leading cause of death with fewer deaths reported during emergency response. In Vermont, there were 402 injuries to firefighters reported to the Workers’ Compensation Division during the years 2001-2003. Strains accounted for 38% of those injuries with contusions and lacerations the second and third most common types of injuries reported.