Encouraging Smokers
Put It Out. All the Way. Every Time!

Smoking is one of the leading causes of home fires and fire injuries in the Central Kitsap area. In an effort to prevent smoking related fires, Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue is working to raise smoking safety awareness and stop home fires caused by smoking before they start.

Our target audience is smokers and those who live with smokers. The fact is that careless smoking is the number one cause of preventable home fire deaths. If you are a smoker, we urge you to prevent fire deaths, injuries and property loss due to cigarettes with this simple message: Put it Out. All the Way Every time!

Far too many people in our communities are affected by cigarette related fires. We know as with any preventable incident, one person killed or injured in a home fire is just too many. Statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration shows that one in four people killed in cigarette related fires were not the smokers themselves. In fact, 34% were children of the smoker, 25% were friends of the smoker. Nationwide an average of 1,000 people are killed in smoking-related home fires every year and most people are asleep when the fires occur.

Smoking-related fires can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions. Smokers and those who live with smokers are urged to:

• Smoke outside and use ashtrays with a wide, stable base that won't tip.
• Always make sure cigarettes and ashes are completely extinguished.
• Never toss hot cigarette butts or ashes in the trash.
• Soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before disposing of them.
• Chairs and sofas burn rapidly, so never put ashtrays on them and check for cigarettes under cushions if people have been smoking in your home.
• If you are drowsy or falling asleep, put it out. All the way. Every time!

View Printable Page