Fire Statistics

The total annual loss ($) from floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters in the United States COMBINED averages just a fraction of that caused by fires. “…CPSC report estimated that for every fire reported, 9 went unreported.”

Source: U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Data Center “Fires in the United States 1992-2001 13^th Edition October 2004

1. In 2004, the property loss costs from fire was $11.7 billion. In addition, an estimated $41 billion was spent as a result of deaths and injury caused by fire.
2. 35% of restaurant fires were extinguished by fire extinguishers.
3. 70% of restaurant fires were confined to the object where the fire originated.
4. 54% of restaurant fires took place in an area with no automatic fire extinguishing system.
5. The daily peak time for restaurant fires is between 9 and 10 a.m.
6. Grease and cooking oil was the material ignited in 66% of the cooking fires.
7. 31% of the cooking fires involved fryers.
8. Electrical wiring was the second most frequent item first ignited in restaurant fires.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Data Topical Fire research Series, Volume 4 –Issue 3 October 2004

How Illinois Fire & Safety Can Help Protect Your Restaurant

As the fire statistics here prove, restaurants have a higher degree of fire risk than most businesses. The statistics also show that fire extinguishers and automatic fire suppression systems help fight the most common sources of restaurant fires. So the real decision is in whom do you trust to provide fire equipment and to service and to maintain these important pieces of equipment? How do you choose? 

We believe that there are four major factors that differentiate a good service provider and a, well, not so good service provider:

1. Experience
2. Expertise
3. Customer Service
4. Responsiveness

You may be surprised that we did not include Price in our list. Very simply, at a cost of pennies per day for most providers, the cost factor is insignificant relative to the cost of poor service resulting in poor fire protection --property damage and lost revenue associated with larger fires not controlled by nonexistent or poorly functioning fire extinguishers and automatic fire suppression systems.

Experience. Illinois Fire & Safety Company is a family-owned company with more than 50 years of direct experience. We have helped protect thousands and thousands of companies in northern Illinois.

Expertise.  We train the City Fire inspectors. Many cities have chosen Illinois Fire & Safety to train their Fire Inspectors on how to inspect fire equipment. Our President was appointed by the Illinois State Fire Marshal to serve on his fire equipment advisory board. We are state licensed, bonded and insured.

We are also the choice for some of the largest companies in the world. Caterpillar, the world’s largest heavy equipment company, chose us to supply and install fire suppression systems - on some of their off-road equipment. We know what we are doing and have served thousands of restaurants.

Customer Service. We understand that we have an obligation to provide quality service at a fair price, while minimizing the disruption to your business and its people. We keep our promises and our appointments. We also understand the need to work around your restaurant's schedule and not ours.

Responsiveness. In case of a fire or other discharge of your fire equipment, the risks of fire are higher in restaurants, so you need a company that will get right out to you. Illinois Fire & Safety offers a 2-hour response time guarantee and 24-hour emergency response.  We’ll be there when you need us.

Illinois Fire & Safety Company offers the following services specifically for restaurants:

1. Fire extinguishers sales, inspection, and service. We’ll make sure your extinguishers are the right type for the right fire situations and make sure they work, if ever needed.
2. Fire hose, emergency and exit lighting sales, inspection, and service.
3. Fire suppression systems sales, installation and service. Need a custom fire suppression system designed, built and installed? We are specialists.
4. Fire equipment employee training. Stopping small fires before they spread requires that your employees know how to use the equipment you have.
5. Pre-“Open” service hours.

Give us a call today - 1-888-ILLFIRE.