The biggest disaster threat to American families isn’t floods, or tornadoes; it’s fire.  The American Red Cross responds to a disaster every eight minutes and nearly all of these are home fires.  According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are almost 365,000 residential fires reported in the U.S. every year.  These fires cause more than $6 billion in property loss.  While the frequency of fire deaths has steadily decreased over the past ten years due to increased awareness and safety measures, more than 2,400 Americans still die every year in home fires.  Fortunately, most home fires can be prevented.  Homeowners should check for items that can be hazardous such as candles and space heaters – common items that can turn dangerous very quickly.  Smoke alarms save lives.  Install smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area.  Put a smoke alarm inside every bedroom. Because smoke rises, put the alarms on the ceiling or high on the wall.  Test the smoke alarms regularly. Install new batteries every year.  Get new smoke alarms every ten years.  Make a plan The Red Cross recommends that households develop a fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year with everyone who lives in the home.  People should know two ways to escape from every room and designate a safe place to meet outside the home in case of a fire.  People can visit www.redcross.org for more steps they can take to lessen the chance of a fire in their home.