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Most of the following info comes from Europe, plus info from USA, Canada, and Japan.
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Time for an update - here is the info from the 16 October 2000 issue of World Fire Statistics
Table 4 - Population Comparisons for Fire Deaths (1995-1997)
Country...............Deaths Per 100,000 Persons
Singapore.........0.20 (1996-1997)
Switzerland.......0.43 (1994-1996)
Spain.............0.60 (1995-1997)
Netherlands.......0.68 (1994-1996)
Australia.........0.71
Austria...........0.79
Italy.............0.82 (1993-1995)
Germany...........0.98
France............1.01
New Zealand.......1.10
Czech Republic....1.23
Belgium...........1.24 (1992-1994)
UK................1.29
Sweden............1.38
Greece............1.43
Canada............1.46
Slovenia..........1.51
Norway............1.56
Poland............1.56
Denmark...........1.71
Japan.............1.74
USA...............1.86
Finland...........2.02
Hungary...........2.88
[note - as compared to the 1999 info, the rates seem to be dropping a little for each country, but the highest rate countries are still the highest, and the lowest rate countries are still the lowest - Peter S]
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Table 1 - Cost of Direct Fire Losses (adjusted direct losses)
Percentage of GDP 1995 - 1997
Slovenia..........0.08
Japan.............0.09
Singapore.........0.09
Czech Republic....0.10
Hungary...........0.12 (1986-1988)
Spain.............0.12 (1984)
USA...............0.12
UK................0.13
Poland............0.13
Germany...........0.14
Finland...........0.15
Australia.........0.16 (1992-1993)
New Zealand.......0.17 (1993-1994)
Austria...........0.18
Netherlands.......0.18 (1995-1996)
France............0.20
Denmark...........0.23
Sweden............0.23
Switzerland.......0.23 (1989)
Canada............0.24
Norway............0.26
Italy.............0.28
Belgium...........0.40 (1988-1989)
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Table 3 - Fire Deaths (adjusted figures)
Country - 1995 - 1996 - 1997
Singapore - ? - 5 - 10
Switzerland - 20 - 35 - ?
Spain - 210 - ? - 260
Netherlands - 85 - 130 - ?
Australia - 135 - 145 - 110
Austria - 60 - 65 - 75
Italy - 455 - ? - ?
Germany - 770 - 895 - 730
France - 585 - 645 - 530
New Zealand - 35 - 40 - 45
Czech Republic - 115 - 125 - 140
UK - 770 - 745 - 760
Sweden - 105 - ?125 - 135
Greece - 150 - 140 - 160
Canada - 440 - 410 - 460
Slovenia - 30 - 30 - 30
Norway - 65 - 70 - 70
Poland - 590 - 620 - 600
Denmark - 90 - 105 - 75
Japan - 2,400 - 2,020 - 2,140
USA - 5,000 - 5,400 - 4,400
Finland - 95 - 110 - 105
Hungary - 300 - 290 - 290
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World Fire Statistics from the September 1999 World Fire Statistics Centre Bulletin
The figures in this 1999 Bulletin are very close to the figures shown in the 1998 Bulletin. The same nations have provided statistics. The same nations have low fire death rates. The same nations have high fire death rates.
Population Comparisons for Fire deaths (1994 - 1996)
Country..............Deaths per 100,000 persons
Switzerland.........0.55 (1992-1994)
Netherlands.........0.68
Spain...............0.77 (1993-1994)
Austria.............0.79 (1993-1995)
Australia...........0.82
Italy...............0.86 (1992-1993)
Germany.............0.98 (1993-1995)
New Zealand.........1.04
Slovenia............1.09
Czech Republic......1.13
France..............1.16 (1993-1994)
UK..................1.31
Belgium.............1.32 (1991-1992)
Sweden..............1.32
Canada..............1.42
Norway..............1.45
Poland..............1.52
Greece..............1.54 (1993-1995)
Japan...............1.69
Denmark.............1.82
USA.................1.90
Finland.............2.12
Hungary.............3.25 (1993-1995)
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Cost of Direct Fire Losses
Country.................Percentage of GDP (1994-1996)
Czech Republic..........0.09
Japan...................0.10
Slovenia................0.10
Hungary.................0.12 (1986-1988)
Spain...................0.12 (1984)
Poland..................0.13
United States...........0.13
United Kingdom..........0.14
Finland.................0.15
Australia...............0.16 (1992-1993)
Austria.................0.17
Germany.................0.17
New Zealand.............0.17 (1993-1994)
Netherlands.............0.18
Canada..................0.20
France..................0.22
Denmark.................0.23
Sweden..................0.23
Switzerland.............0.23 (1989)
Norway..................0.24
Italy...................0.28
Belgium.................0.40 (1988-1989)
Fire losses include explosion losses following fires, but exclude explosion losses where no fire occurs (eg some acts of terrorism).
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By comparing these 2 tables I can see that
- Spain has a low fire death rate and a low fire
loss rate.
- Denmark has a high fire death rate and a high
fire loss rate.
- Hungary has a low fire loss rate and a high
fire death rate.
- Switzerland has a low fire death rate and a
high fire loss rate.
- The UK has a medium fire death rate and a
medium fire loss rate.
- Japan has a low fire loss rate but a higher
fire death rate.
- Greece does not have their fire loss rates
listed.
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World Fire Statistics From the Fall 1998 World Fire Statistics Centre Newsletter
Fire Death Rates per 100,000 of Population (1993-1995)
Switzerland.......0.55 (1992-1994)
Netherlands.......0.60
Australia.........0.78
Austria...........0.79
Spain.............0.86 (1991-1992)
Slovenia..........1.01 (1994-1995)
Germany...........1.04 (1992-1994)
Czech Republic....1.05
New Zealand.......1.05
France............1.19 (1992-1993)
Sweden............1.31
United Kingdom....1.36
Norway............1.42
Belgium...........1.47 (1989-1991)
Canada............1.50
Poland............1.57
Japan.............1.66
Denmark...........1.70
Greece............1.70 (1992-1994)
USA...............1.87
Finland...........2.46 (1993-1994)
Hungary...........3.29 (1992-1994)
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Cost of Direct Fire Losses as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product (1993-1995)
Czech Republic.....0.09 (1994-1995)
Japan..............0.10
Hungary............0.12 (1986-1988)
Spain..............0.12 (1984)
Poland.............0.13
Slovenia...........0.13
USA................0.13
United Kingdom.....0.14
Australia..........0.16 (1992-1993)
Finland............0.16 (1993-1994)
Austria............0.17
New Zealand........0.17 (1993-1994)
Germany............0.18
Netherlands........0.20
Canada.............0.21
Denmark............0.23
France.............0.23
Sweden.............0.23
Switzerland........0.23 (1989)
Norway.............0.24
Italy..............0.29
Belgium............0.40 (1988-1989)
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A Couple of Comments -
1. Notice that Hungary has the 3rd lowest fire loss rate yet the highest fire death rate. (I always suspect that statistics from small countries are much more accurate than statistics from large countries - not that it sheds any light on these statistics.)
2. Gross Domestic Product = the total economic output of a country - (the $$$ value of all the buildings, cars, planes, movies, books, computers, etc, etc, etc that are built or produced)
3. Direct Fire Loss = the cost of repairing fire damage - does not include costs such as lost business, housing relocation costs, psychological cost of loss of photographs, antiques, heirlooms, etc.
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Additional Info from Other Sources
China - ?2500 fire deaths in 1999 - see the China file for an article
Taiwan - 7,742 fires with 250 deaths in 1991 - 10,764 fires with 371 deaths in 1994 - per 19 Feb 1995 AP article - Feb 1995 nightclub fire in Taichung killed 64 people - it was the deadliest fire in the island's history
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Contact Info from the September 15, 1999 World Fire Statistics Centre Bulletin -
Editor - RTD Wilmot - 12 Kylestrome House - Cundy Street - London SW1W 9JT - Telephone and FAX (0207) 730-5133 (also listed as (44-171) 730 5133
Deputy Editor - Tony Paish - 32 Westmoreland Road - London SW13 9RY - Telephone (44-181) 748 - 1899 - FAX (44-181) 255 7903
Copies of the Bulletin can be obtained at http://www.genevaassociation.org
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typed up by Peter Szerlag - August 20, 1999
Updated - October 20, 1999 - Added Contact Info and Counter on Dec 2, 1999
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