Video: Mississippi Sees Significant Drop in Fire Deaths

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – While Mississippi leads the nation in a number of negative health-related categories, the state is making strides when it comes to reducing fire deaths. The state’s fire marshal says education and proactive programs are part of that success.

Fire deaths have dropped 35 % over the past three years, according to State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney. He credits several factors including the use of a “fire safety house” to teach families the importance of having a plan of action in case of a fire. Chaney says a more efficient grant writing process is helping to get smoke detectors to those who need them..

“We used to give away ten dollar smoke alarms with a ten year battery in them and it cost 20 dollars worth of paperwork to give away a ten dollar smoke alarm, so we have found a way to get around all that, and have some accountability and we give the smoke alarms away free, we’ve given away over 50 thousand smoke alarms away in the last four years installed by volunteer firemen and paid firemen throughout the cities and counties in this state.”

Chaney is taking part in a special ceremony at the fire chief’s conference Saturday morning.