Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114464

Gwendolyn Bergen, MS MPH¹, Andrea Gielen, ScD², Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH¹, and Van My Ta, MPH¹. (1) Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Room 539, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-338-1882, gbergen@jhsph.edu, (2) The Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Hampton House, Fifth floor, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205

Purpose: In the US residential fires are a significant cause of mortality, morbidity, and financial expense. The aims of this study are to: 1) analyze routinely collected statewide fire data; 2) examine the utility of this data system for understanding residential fire characteristics and designing programs and policy to prevent loss of life and property; and 3) understand the implementation of this data system to identify gaps and needs for a more complete fire surveillance system. The Delaware Fire Incident Reporting System (DFIRS), part of the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), is being used to address these aims. Methods: De-identified DFIRS data were obtained for 2001-2004. Records for residential fires were used to calculate frequencies for fire characteristics. Missing data were tallied by data field. In depth interviews with key DFIRS and fire personnel were also conducted. Results: There were 1,478 residential fires in DFIRS resulting in 108 non-fatal injuries and 14 deaths. 67% of the fields were blank or had invalid responses. 70% of the casualties had the proper form completed. Detailed analyses from DFIRS and results from the qualitative interviews will also be presented. Conclusions: NFIRS and DFIRS databases provide a method for complete documentation of fires at the state level. While, in its current state, DFIRS provides valuable information about fires, its usefulness is limited due to the lack of data completeness and quality. Suggestions for increasing the completion rate of the information in DFIRS, based on findings from the interviews, will be made.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the epidemiology of fires in Delaware.
• Evaluate the potential data quality and data completeness problems with DFIRS data.
• Articulate the potential uses of the DFIRS data system to public health.

Keywords: Injury, Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.