Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint and Vanilla Sugar: Scents of the Season May Pose a Holiday Threat

New statewide survey reveals many Tennesseans putting themselves at risk and don't even know it

News provided by

Nov 22, 2016, 09:06 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The glow and smell of a burning candle during the holiday season may be enticing, but local safety experts are concerned about the increased risks those candles could pose for Tennesseans, especially considering the latest home fire statistics. December is the peak time of year for candle-related home fires and Tennessee already has the 6^th highest fire related fatality rate in the nation.

With the holidays approaching, Allstate and the Red Cross are teaming up for a home fire safety campaign. This year's campaign includes a statewide poll that revealed:

76 percent of Tennesseans burn candles in their homes, yet more than half of those (39%) said they don't have a working smoke alarm or fire extinguisher.

Survey results showed several other trends that suggest Tennesseans may not be taking the issue of home fire safety seriously enough.

KEY SURVEY FINDINGS:

More than half of respondents (50.9%) were misinformed about how much time they have to exit a home fire. (Fire experts agree people may have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home)
Almost a third of respondents (30.2%) haven't changed their smoke alarm battery at all in the last year or didn't know when they had changed it last. (Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half, fire experts, say)
Being unprepared comes with a cost for Tennesseans:
- 7.8% lost a family member or pet
- 12.4% did not have insurance
- 20.2% lost money (up to a million dollars) in a single home fire
- 36.4% lost priceless family heirlooms

"This survey lets us know there is more work to be done when it comes to home fire safety prevention and education," said Scott English, Allstate Field Claim Director. "We are honored to be part of a campaign with the Red Cross that has contributed to 111 lives saved nationally over two years."

While the survey focused on Tennessee residents, the need to publicly emphasize the importance of prevention goes beyond state lines. Nationally, seven people a day lose their lives to a home fire. Every 40 minutes a fire related injury is reported across the country. And more than $7 billion in property damage occurs in the U.S. every year due to fires.

Call to Action! Get Prepared for Fire Season

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
Check your smoke alarms monthly.
Change your batteries twice a year with the time change.
Practice a 2-minute drill. Make sure your family can safely escape a home fire in under two minutes.
Spread the Word: Encourage friends and family to get prepared for fire season.
Stop by an Allstate Agent's office to get a more information about home fire safety, including a free home escape plan worksheet.

About the Poll
The statewide public opinion survey was conducted for Allstate Insurance Company, September 19-27, 2016, by 20/20 Research. The study was conducted among a statewide sample of 1,500 Tennessee adults. The margin of error for the total sample of 1,500 adults is +/- 5.00 percent.

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Now celebrating its 85th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." Allstate agencies are in virtually every local community in America. In 2015, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $36 million to support local communities.