Strategies for the Future

Abstract

One reason why America is burning, according to national government officials, is that Americans not only are indifferent to fire as a national problem but are similarly careless about fire in their personal lives. Though the public is aroused over safety issues regarding consumer products or the environment, fire safety is not one of their chief concerns. Few private homes have fire extinguishers; even fewer have fire detection systems. Too many multiple-family dwellings and establishments have yet to install automatic equipment for putting out fires. And often, when fire does strike, ignorance of proper escape routes leads to panic, which further exacerbates the danger of the fire.¹