The Top 5 Best US States for Fire Safety

Last week, we featured a list of the Top 5 Worst US States for Fire Safety. We received some positive feedback from the post, so we decided to present you with the five safest states in that same category. By doing this, we hope to make everyone to be a little bit more aware of fire safety.

Before we present our list, we have a few things that we want you to keep in mind. Living in one of these states does not make you or your family immune to fires. You must have a plan in place for dealing with a fire in the event that one occurs in your household. The best time to take action is before any serious damage or loss of life occurs. A good place to start is by getting a monitored security system with programmed smoke and heat detectors for fire-safety. Make sure that your system and sensors are working correctly, and remember to test them regularly. Always put your system on test mode before testing to prevent any false alarms and potential fines.

Also, work with all members of your household to ensure that everyone follows proper fire safety practices. This includes any children in your household, as well as anyone who is elderly, hard of hearing, or may have trouble moving. Put a proper fire-safety plan into place, and make sure that everyone in your household is aware of that plan and how to follow it. You may even want to hold regular fire drills in your household or enlist help from your local fire department by contacting them on their non-emergency phone number for additional ideas and support. And make sure to check out our post on the top ten (10) causes for house fires so that you can understand how most fires occur and what actions can be taken to prevent them.

If you saw our previous post on the five (5) worst states for fire safety, then you will already understand our methodology. Our list represents the average number of fire-related deaths per million people per year across the years 2013 thru 2017. The statistics we are using were reported by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). This represents the newest NFPA data that we were able to find. We believe that this data presents a pretty accurate picture of current fire safety, even though it is technically a few years old at this point.

The table below shows the five (5) US states that have the lowest average number of fire-related death per million people per year for 2013 thru 2017. Just like last time, we have included earlier groupings of years in the graph. While it is interesting to look at how these statistics have changed over time, please understand that these five states made this lists exclusively because of their 2013 thru 2017 statistics. With that out of the way, let's take a look.

Based on this information, the five best states for fire safety are:

• 5. Massachusetts
• 4. Colorado
• 3. Hawaii
• 2. California
• 1. Utah

Before breaking down this list in fine detail, it's very good to see that fire-related casualties do indeed suggest a downward trend over time. Four of these five states have seen their average annual rate of fire-related deaths be reduced by at least half their NFPA-reported statistic since 1981. And when looking at Massachusetts, the figure has been cut down to less than one-third!

Massachusetts was the only state in the Top 5 to not get its average annual fire-related death rate under six (6) deaths per one million people. The state came very close with its rate of 6.1. Still, keeping the average number of fire-related deaths to just 6.1 for every one million legal residents is pretty remarkable. And what's more promising is that the figure has the potential to go further down.

The only state without a clear downward trend on this list is Hawaii. The Aloha State posted the lowest figure in the entire study, with just 2.8 deaths per million people on average from 2008 to 2012, only to see that figure nearly double to 5.3 deaths per million people on average from 2013 to 2017. Still, that 5.3 figure is good enough for third place in the entire country.

Some observers might be surprised to see California anywhere on this list, let alone being landing second place for fire safety. The state has a notorious reputation for its wildfires, and they seem to be an annual occurrence for the region. It's important to consider that this list is strictly measuring loss of human life in determining these rankings. While California certainly has its ongoing issues with wildfires, it's clear that the state has done an excellent job of ensuring the safety of its citizens when dealing with these natural disasters, at least when covering the years 2013 thru 2017.

Congratulations to Utah for having the lowest average rate of fire-related deaths per million people for 2013 thru 2017. The state had just 4.6 fire-related deaths per million people on average for these years. However, Utah has reported lower fire-related deaths in the past, so it's anyone's guess whether the figure will go up or down the next time this information is collected.

Remember, these states made this list not because fires don't occur in their areas, but because its residents know how to take proper action when fires do occur. Knowing what to do in the event of a fire is equally as important as preventing fires in the first place. And never forget that while most of your possessions and your home can be replaced, the lives of those around you cannot.

If you are looking for top-quality residential fire monitoring, then Alarm Grid is happy to help you get started. We encourage you to reach out to us for more information by emailing support@alarmgrid.com, or by calling (888) 818-7728. Keep in mind that our support hours run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. Our experts can help you determine the perfect system for your household, and we can work with you to choose the best life-safety accessories for your needs. We look forward to working with you and your family to help you remain fire safe.