Occasionally, I like to post some facts about the national fire problem, ust so folks realize that while in some areas it has diminished in numbers, however, in others it has merely changed. Some facts to keep the record straight for those cynics who say why are you still around? Hasnt the fire problem essentially been solved? The fire threat and loss to America is staggering, yet many dismiss the fact with a veil of unproven statements and opinions. Between the years 2000-2009 (excluding the events of 9/11/2001) almost 36,000 Americans and 1,000 firefighters were killed in fires. The last year for which economic data are available, 2009, fire caused an economic loss of $331 billion, or 2.3 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Fire is more deadly, and more costly, than all other natural or man-made disasters combined. It is a well-documented drain on our economy. There also are “indirect” costs associated with fires - the costs of temporary housing, missed work, lost tax revenues, insurance premium increases, medical and funeral expenses, lost business income and lost business opportunities. Indirect loss would also include dollar equivalents for environmental damage or damage to cultural heritage, but there is no good data source available on these types of indirect damage. The 2013 wildland fires in the western US provide sufficient evidence of the environmental and health threats to the atmosphere and public drinking water sources.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 15:13:08 +0000
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