Every day seven people die from American home fires, and another 13,000 are injured each year. These statistics, while important, are only a small piece of America’s complex home fire problem.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) answers the question, “What follows a home fire?” in its new podcast series, The Survivors. At the center of this five-part story is the van Dijk family. In 2014, a fire at their home killed two of their children. The podcast showcases the lifelong toll fire has taken on this family and others. Interviews with burn treatment and recovery specialists in America, the fire service, and top safety advocates underscore the rarely seen ripple effects of home fires experienced across the nation.
“Through the story of one family, we wanted to give listeners a powerful look at home fires that goes beyond our statistics,” says Fred Durso, a communications manager for NFPA and reporter for The Survivors. “The local news constantly covers the flames and devastation from home fires, but when do you hear about the people impacted by fire years after the incident? Through this podcast, listeners will learn what the van Dijk family has endured. Their strength has led them to a new normal, but they are still a family in healing.”
Additionally, the podcast expands beyond the family’s story to discuss the fire challenges inside today’s new homes. Experts also highlight a solution to America’s home fire problem and a powerful group spending millions of dollars to keep a proven safety feature out of new homes.
Visit FireSprinklerInitiative.org/Podcast to listen to all episodes of the podcast, developed in cooperation with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. Since 1977, the Phoenix Society has worked with survivors, families, healthcare professionals, firefighters and donors to support burn recovery, improve the quality of burn care and prevent burn injuries. It is the only national, nonprofit organization helping survivors meet their challenges with the community support and the tools they need to thrive again. Phoenix Society, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, takes its name from the legendary bird that is consumed by flame but rises again, more vibrant than before. To learn more, visit phoenix-society.org.
Source: NFPA
