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LifeSavers

Residential Fire Injury Prevention Program

In 1989, data from the Injury Prevention Burn Surveillance System indicated that south Oklahoma City had the highest rate of house fire-related injuries in the state of Oklahoma. Injuries were plotted on an Oklahoma City map; 45 percent of the injuries occurred in a four-zip code area in south Oklahoma City where only 16 percent of the population lived. Consequently, the area was targeted for a smoke alarm giveaway program.

The Injury Prevention Service implemented the program in 1990 in collaboration with the Oklahoma City Fire Department, Oklahoma County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and City-County Health Department of Oklahoma County. More than 500 volunteers from numerous state and local agencies, businesses, civic organizations, churches, and schools helped distribute more than 10,000 smoke alarms in the targeted area. Through the program, approximately 80 percent of the estimated homes in the area without a smoke alarm received one.

Four years following the program, the injury rate per 100 residential fires decreased 73 percent in the target area compared to a 31 percent increase in the injury rate in the rest of Oklahoma City. It is calculated that more than 60 injuries and deaths were prevented in this area during the 5 years after the program was implemented. Cost-benefit analysis suggests that for every $1 spent on this program over $20 was saved in prevented costs associated with injury reduction.

Using the south Oklahoma City project as a basis, the Injury Prevention Service implemented similar projects in other communities with high rates of residential fire injuries. Since 1994, nearly 60,000 smoke alarms were distributed in more than 50 communities.

Beginning in 2006, the Injury Prevention Service received additional federal funding to continue this program for another five years.

Smoke Alarm Programs Save Lives

  • In Woodward County, a family was saved weeks after receiving a smoke alarm through the LifeSavers II project.
  • In 1996, a smoke alarm obtained through the LifeSavers II project in Purcell saved five family members.
  • From 1998-2000, smoke alarms obtained through IPS projects are known to have saved 7 people in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Muskogee.
  • During the 5-year project, between 2001-2006, program smoke alarms are known to have saved 24 lives in McClain, Custer, Choctaw, Lincoln, and Rogers counties.

Informational and Educational Materials

Peer-reviewed Articles

Click on the article name to read the abstract.

Call (405) 271-3430 to receive reprints of any of these articles.

Internet Resources

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Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406

 

Physical Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK

 

Office hours:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., CST, Monday through Friday
Closed on all legal holidays

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