When most people think about business fires, they picture a conflagration at the local factory or a blaze at the lumber yard down the street. What they do not typically picture is a fire at the office, yet office fires are all too common, and preventing them is the job of every business owner.

Throughout the country, fire departments respond to an average of nearly 3,400 office fires a year, and the results are truly devastating. From the millions of dollars in property damage and loss to the incalculable toll in injuries and deaths, these repercussions are very real, but taking a few proactive steps can vastly decrease your odds of becoming a victim.

Knowing the cause of office fires is a good place to start, and businesses can use this information to go further — engaging in employee training, installing fire suppression equipment, and taking other steps to protect their firms and their employees.

The statistics on office fires are eye-opening, including the startling fact that intentionally set fires accounted for fully one-fifth of property damage claims. Lighting equipment was responsible for one in ten office fires, giving businesses an incentive to upgrade their lighting and perhaps invest in an energy safety audit.

Employee engagement and safety awareness are certainly important when it comes to fire prevention, but without a doubt, the installation of fire suppression equipment is the number one thing businesses can do to mitigate damage from office fires. Over the years, sprinklers have proven to be nearly 90% effective at preventing deaths and serious injuries, giving business owners one more reason to install this type of equipment.

Whether they work in fuel storage facilities, busy factories or hectic offices, business owners, managers and front-line employees face significant damage from property fires. These fires can happen everywhere, and they can be triggered by anything from an errant lightning strike during a summer thunderstorm to an errant spark in the kitchen or break room. It is important for every business, no matter what the nature of their operations or where those operations take place, to be fully prepared for fire, and that starts with comprehensive safety training, smart retrofitting, and a high level of awareness.

Make sure your office or business is protected in the unfortunate event of a fire. All our systems meet or exceed NFPA state and local codes. Millennium Fire & Security can meet your needs. Call us at 407-603-3881 for more information.