Life Safety Systems, Fire Department Intervention, and Residential Fire Outcomes: Analysis of 28 Years of BC Fire Incident Reports: 1988-2015

This report examines 42,701 residential1 fire incidents reported to the British Columbia (BC) Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) between 1988 and 2015, inclusive (22.4% of the 190,564 fire incidents reported over this time). The high-level purpose of this analysis was to examine the significance of the method of fire control and fire safety systems on the fire outcomes (with respect to damage to properties and fire-related casualties). Building on these patterns, this analysis explores the fire outcomes for the specific subsection of areas within residential properties that experienced a disproportionate number fires and fatalities: the living room, the kitchen, and the bedroom. These room-specific findings are discussed with respect to the potential to enhance residential building fire safety in a targeted manner intended to both increase protection for residents and keep the costs of fire protection relatively low.

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