Fire deaths in Finland

Matti Orrainen

19.5.2011

Bled

Slovenia

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SPEK’s services

Acc

iden

t pre

vent

ion Fire brigade services

Preparedness and civil protection

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Government Programme on Internal Security

Objective:

Finland will be the safest country in Europe in year 2015

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Action programme for promoting home fire safety - Priority measures

1) Legislation on RIP cigarettes– 1 April 2010

2) Establishing new procedures for investigating all fires that caused serious injuries

– Focus on fire deaths and major fires

3) Higher fire safety standards for sheltered housing and assisted living– Focus area in the current Internal Security Programme

4) Requirement of mains-operated smoke alarms in new dwellings– Revision of Building Code February 2009

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Challenges in the field of fire and accident prevention

• Ageing population

• Increasing use of alcohol and drugs

• Assisted living instead of care homes

• Increasing number of one person households

Number of home and leisure accidents continues to increase

Photos: Helsinki Rescue Services

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Smoke alarms in fatal fires years 2007-2009

Smoke alarm operated

18 %

Operation unknown

24 %

No smoke alarm35 %

No information15 %

Smoke alarm did not operate

8 %

Smoke detectors required in all homes from September 2000

Smoke alarm ownership (gallup poll)

42 %53 %

68 %

95 % 94 % 95 %

0 %10 %20 %30 %40 %50 %60 %70 %80 %90 %

100 %

1992 1995 1999 2002 2005 2008

No smoke alarm in 38% of residential fires (years 2007-2009)

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Fire safer cigarettes (RIP-cigarettes)

• RIP - Reduced Ignition Propensity• Cigarettes that are less likely to ignite upholstered furniture and bedding• Helps to reduce injuries and property damage from fires caused by

smouldering cigarettes

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Smoking related fires in Finland

• 6 % of all fires (950 fires)

• 10 % of forest fires (400 fires)

• 30–40 % of accidental fire deaths (25–35 casualties)

– cause of fire smoking in bed– over 50 % alcohol related– over 30 % had disabilities or

restricted mobility

• Direct property damage over 6 million euros

• Expected results– at least 10–15 lives saved every year– 20 % reduction in number of cigarette

fires– 25 % reduction in direct property

damage

Photo: Police archives

Results of Effectiveness (Rip cigarettes)

(2007-2009) average 28/year fire deaths caused by smoking

(2010) 16/year

The number of fires reduced 12%

The number of building fires reduced 5%

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Evacuation safety of hospitals, nursing care, sheltered housing and assisted living

• “Responsible person” makes a safety assessment before premises are occupied and reviews it at least every three years

• Local rescue authority controls whether the safety precautions are adequate and when necessary requires improvements– Additional personnel, retroactive fitting of automatic fire

sprinkler systems, etc.

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Higher fire safety standards for sheltered housing and assisted living - Simple fire risk assessment

CFPA E Guideline No 6:2004 Fire safety in residential homes for the elderly

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Sprinkler saved human lives

Oulu, wood frame block of flats

Jyväskylä, hotel

Vammala, Sastamala hospital

Kangasala, service home for elderly people

Orivesi, service home for elderly people

Jyväskylä, jail in police station

Kotka, care home

Kuopio, jail in police station

Jyväskylä, jain in police station

Rovaniemi, care home

Lahti, boarding house for students

Helsinki, Cirrus (2 ), high rise building

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Life-threatening conditions

The fire continues spreading

•Preliminary fire extinguishing won’t help•Structural solutions don’t work

•No automatic fire extinguishing system•Fire brigade arrives too late

or fails in extinguishing in time

A person won’t leave the premisses

or is not rescued in time

Rescue won’t succeed

•The victim is alone•Present or near-by occupants have no time or possibility

to rescue•The fire brigade can’t manage the task in time

Exit by him/herself fails

Technical barrier•lack of escape routes•routes too narrow•routes locked

Restriction in functionalcapacity•mobility•perception•understanding

Delay in perception or response•lack of smoke detector•failed situation assesment

FIRE DEATH

Fire death mechanism

SPRINKLER WORKS

A FIRE BREAKS OUT

Prevention failed because ofnegligence

technical failurehuman factor

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For a safer tomorrow

www.spek.fi

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