A large proportion of deaths have resulted from house fires. To drastically reduce this threat there is one simple device that should be installed in every home. The smoke detector.

The main problem from house fires is with the smoke that is given off when materials in your house burn. Most deaths occur at night, when the family is sleeping. The smoke won't normally wake an adult. As the fire quickly builds, the smoke deprives them of oxygen causing them to loose consciousness.

The smoke alarm works by sensing very small quantities of smoke at the start of the fire, and then letting off a shrill tone that is designed to wake the occupants at the earliest stage of the fire, allowing them time to get themselves and their children out.

So when there is no smoke alarm people just don't wake up. And if you do wake up, it is likely that the time you have left for saving your children, is very limited indeed. The installation of an alarm is the cheapest most effective action you can take. As the main purpose of the alarm is to wake the occupants it is important to fit the smoke alarms in bedrooms and hallways.

Its also a good idea to have a dry chemical fire extinguisher and a fire blanket in the kitchen. They should be fitted to the wall, away from the main danger which would be the stove.

Many causes of fire is faulty wiring, so the installation of a safety switch on the main power board will help protect against a fire starting in this situation.

And if you are a smoker, make sure you keep your lighter or matches away SECURELY. Your children see you using them all the time, and if given half a chance, will want to experiment and copy you.