Smoking and Fire Safety
Every year, almost 1,000 smokers and non-smokers are killed in home fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials. The U.S. Fire Administration is working to help prevent home fire deaths and injuries caused by smoking materials. Fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials are preventable.
You can make a difference!
If you smoke or live with someone who smokes, learn the facts. A lit cigarette accidentally dropped onto a chair or bed, or hot cigarette ashes or matches tossed away before they are completely out, can cause a large fire in seconds.
“Putting out” a cigarette the right way only takes seconds. It is up to you to make sure your cigarette is put out, all the way, every time.
One-in-four people killed in home fires is not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire.
More than one third of the fatalities were children of the smokers.
Twenty-five percent of those killed were neighbors or friends of the smokers.
Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths and the second leading cause of injuries among people ages 65 and older.
Smoking & Home Safety Steps
• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
• Make sure cigarettes and ashes are out.
• Check for cigarette butts, especially before going to bed.
• Never smoke in bed, where you may inadvertently fall asleep, with a lit cigarette.
• Never smoke in a home where medical oxygen is used.
• If you smoke, fire-safe cigarettes are better.
• Make sure your home has functioning smoke detectors.
Be alert! The life you save may be your own or someone you love.
Call your Cathedral City Fire Dept. at (760) 770-8200 for information on smoke detectors.
For Emergencies Dial 9-1-1
Want to Quit Smoking?
Call the California’s Smokers Helpline. It offers free telephone counseling, self-help materials, and online help in six languages to help you quit smoking. Call 1-800-NO-BUTTS (1-800-662-8887) for more information.
* Safety tips shared by the U.S. Fire Administration - F.E.M.A.
