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Almost 40 percent of residential fires start there, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department statistics from a 12-month period.

1. Immediately report any suspected electrical problems, such as devices that seem to be overly warm, cracked cords, loose plugs, and broken wiring devices. Contact your Division Safety Coordinator, Facilities Electricians, or EHS Electrical Safety Engineer at ext. 4694.2. Electrical problems are not always revealed at the time of the installation. It can take months or years before an improper connection begins to fail. 3. Beware of overloading receptacles, plug strips, and circuits by plugging in too much equipment. A circuit breaker will not trip immediately when overloaded. Wire can overheat well before a breaker trips.

Students plugging appliances into old electrical wiring makes eight dormitories and scholarship halls at Kansas University potential fire hazards.

As our reliance on electricity grows, the potential for misuse of home appliances, computers and entertainment equipment means the need for electrical safety awareness for the family is far more important. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) urges consumers to become more knowledgeable about electrical safety by offering free tips on what you can do to protect your family from electrical dangers.

Rogers fears that if the proposed $2.2 million tax increase fails to get voter support on Sept. 8, significant delays in response time caused by staffing shortages will put the welfare of students at risk during medical emergencies and fires.

Every year, electrical fires result in thousands of injuries, hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and, in some cases, even death. While some fires are caused by faulty products, many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical equipment, incorrectly installed wiring, overloaded circuits and misapplied extension cords. Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders are all examples of emergency equipment used in homes to take action when a fire occurs. A device called an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter, or AFCI, is a residential circuit breaker designed to detect arcing faults and thus prevent fires from occurring in the first place. Arcing can occur when you're hanging a picture and inadvertently pierce a wire in the wall, when old wires fray or when you string extension cords together to run fans or space heaters. Approximately 2,300 injuries, 67,800 fires and 485 deaths occur each year that can be associated with home wiring, totaling $868 million in property losses. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that "AFCI devices may address 50 percent or more of these fires."

On Friday, the court said electrocution is unconstitutional, a stunning response to Dean, nine others on death row and those who question whether the electric chair constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

Heating devices are being blamed for three fires in a six-hour period Wednesday night into early Thursday, prompting state fire officials to urge residents to use caution as the winter season gets underway.

Another fire, this one on Sherwood Place in Ocean View. The fire started on the second floor of the 45 unit building. Fire officials determined that there was an electrical problem in one of the walls. It's an issue the city codes inspection office is also looking into.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration,* home electrical problems accounted for an estimated 67,800 fires and $868 million in property losses in 2003. Electrical fires also cause an estimated 485 deaths annually and injure almost 2,300 more individuals. For this reason, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) suggests that homeowners consider installing AFCI protection in general purpose circuits throughout the home.

Central Maine Power says thieves who steal copper wire from its substations are putting electrical workers at risk.

A small electrical fire last month at the Falls Mill Residential Condominium complex sparked a wave of fire- and building-safety inspections that discovered numerous violations city officials are now ordering to be corrected.

Another domain where different cultures have a very different approach is electrical safety. Each time I travel to the US, in particular with my kids, I feel somewhat unsafe when I look at the electrical equipment there compared to what is routinely found in Europe.

Electrical Safety Answers

If an inexpensive electrical device were properly installed in every household, nearly 70 percent of the approximately 240 electrocutions that occur every year in the US would be prevented.

The Missouri Division of Fire Safety concluded in December of last year that the cause of the fire remained undetermined. But the report noted that it most likely began in the attic on the north end of the home and that an electrical short circuit in that area could not be eliminated as a possible cause. A maintenance man employed by the home who was working on its furnaces the day of the fire told investigators that he deliberately short-circuited an electrical line that ran through the attic just hours before the fire. He reportedly shorted the wiring because he did not know which switch in a breaker box controlled one of the furnaces he was repairing and wanted to switch that breaker off.

West Springfield, MA – Candles used for light by college and university students are a “major cause of campus fires”, according to the National Fire Protection Association(NFPA). Dorm and apartment fires have killed 109 people since 2000 – more than 18 people each year.