USFA Smoking & Home Fires : I'm a Journalist

Maybe your community was struck by a home fire that was caused by cigarettes or other smoking materials. Or perhaps your community has been lucky enough to avoid such a tragedy. The Smoking & Home Fires Campaign by the U.S. Fire Administration works to educate people about how they can prevent home fire deaths and injuries caused by smoking materials. Our key message is: "If you smoke, Put It Out. All the Way. Every Time."

Fires caused by smoking materials affect not only the smoker, but non-smokers as well. Did you know that one-in-four people killed in home fires is not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire.

Thirty-four percent were children of the smokers.
Twenty-five percent were neighbors or friends of the smokers.

The U.S. Fire Administration welcomes media inquiries regarding this campaign. In addition to answering questions, the following components are also available to media:

Statistics and campaign materials
Video sound bites from Cathy Hedrick, mother of a firefighter who died fighting a smoking-related home fire.
Other video bites:

Demonstration of home smoking fire.	Stubbing cigarette out in ashtray.
Putting cigarette out in can of sand.	Soaking cigarette butt under water.

Information and Interviews

Journalists seeking additional information or an interview with a USFA spokesperson are welcome to contact: Campaign Media Center at (202) 842-3600 (ask for USFA Smoking & Home Fires Campaign) or e-mail dneidlinger@hagersharp.com.