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Watch: An Alarmingly Simple Way to Avoid Becoming a Fire Victim

Smoke alarms ... they are a pet peeve item on Erika Leader-Young's fire safety checklist. She is tired of witnessing tragedy in home fires because victims were not alerted by smoke alarms.

Fire Facts

Courtesy of Erika Leader-Young, New Lenox Fire Protection District, the National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

1. A candle fire is reported to a U.S. fire department ever 40 minutes.

2. In 2009, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 58,900-reported U.S. home structure fires, with associated losses of 480 civilian deaths, 1,520 civilian injuries and $1.1 billion in property damage.

3. The top cause of fires in the home is cooking equipment, accounting for an estimated 147,400 (40 percent) of residential fires each year between 2008 and 2010.

4. Six people die every day in home fires.

5. More than 1,000 senior citizens die in fires every year.

READ MORE: Expert Advice: Follow These Fire Safety Tips

Darnell December 29, 2012 at 02:09 pm
Like everything else they want to ban, just ban open flames in homes! If we only save 1 life it will be worth it!
Bob Laird December 30, 2012 at 04:14 am
white castles now has to have a warning on the box. "may cause excessive methane gas, do not use near open flame" here's your sign.
Erika Leader December 31, 2012 at 01:54 pm
No one is saying to ban anything in this article or the PSA. Just to use common sense.
Darnell December 31, 2012 at 05:33 pm
I was just being facetious as it seems in today's society any type of incident that may have a negative outcome including a tragic one, is followed by one group or another who rushes to pass feel good laws and bans. This seems to be replacing your call, which I totally agree with to use common sense. Along with I feel is, personal responsibility. That AND common sense, definitely are 2 traits that are on the severely endangered / nearly extinct list!

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Lisa June 19, 2013 at 06:53 pm
Agree - purchased gas at 75th & Cass in Darien today for $4.09 to drive home from work to seeRead More gas went down a whopping $0.08. $4.39 to $4.31 - guess I will continue to check gas prices before coming home to New Lenox - Something has to be done.
Cheri June 15, 2013 at 07:02 pm
canceling cardinal-- it will be a workout driving on RT 30 mess
MartCHawk June 17, 2013 at 07:18 am
People coming from the east will now have to fight through school traffic at Rt. 30/Schoolhouse.Read More People from southwest New Lenox will have to either venture up Cedar, which is painfully slow... or take Spencer from Laraway, in which they will have to cross Rt. 30 to go straight. Won't be an easy picnic.