Company pledges to educate an additional 3.5 million children
and donates more than $3 million for national fire safety education
through its Junior Fire Marshal program
The Hartford released its 2020 Home Fire Index, ranking the top
150 U.S. cities with the highest home fire risk. The top five
cities are: Detroit, Mich.; Macon, Ga.; Augusta, Ga.; Memphis,
Tenn. and Birmingham, Ala. The index is based on an analysis of the
U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System
(NFIRS)1 and a survey conducted by The Hartford on fire safety and
prevention behaviors among the general population. A complete list
of the 150 U.S. cities and key survey findings can be found at
www.thehartford.com/jfm.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200310005598/en/
The company’s first home fire index was released in 2017. Major
changes in the 2020 rankings include:
City
2017 Ranking
2020 Ranking
Macon, Ga.
Unranked
2
Birmingham, Ala.
75
5
Wilmington, Del.
12
79
Wichita, Kan.
34
149
A home fire is reported in the U.S. every 87 seconds2 and the
need for fire safety education remains prevalent. To help support
fire safety education efforts across the country, The Hartford is
committed to educating 3.5 million students, in kindergarten
through third grade through 2022, and will donate more than $3
million to local school districts and fire departments in the 150
U.S. cities in the index through its Junior Fire Marshal program,
one of the country’s oldest corporate-sponsored public education
programs.
“The Hartford has been protecting families for more than 200
years since our start as a fire insurance company, and our history
of fire safety education is vitally important to us”, said The
Hartford’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Kathy
Bromage. “By partnering with school districts and fire departments
to provide fire safety education to children through the Junior
Fire Marshal program, we are helping communities across the country
achieve higher levels of fire safety.”
Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo, Birmingham Fire and Rescue
said, “We realize the need for fire safety education and the
critical importance of partnering with The Hartford on the Junior
Fire Marshal program. By tapping into children’s natural curiosity
when it comes to fire, we can help build a fire-safe culture in
children which will carry through to their families and
communities.”
Survey Reveals Many Americans Don’t Prioritize Fire
Safety
Respondents to the national survey conducted by The Hartford
revealed the majority of American homes are equipped with smoke
detectors (82%) but lack other basic fire safety measures that
could eliminate or reduce the risk of property damage and injury,
including a home fire escape plan (42% do not have a plan) and fire
extinguishers (44% of homes are not equipped). Additionally, while
56% of Americans indicate that they own a fire extinguisher, 73%
are unsure whether it’s expired and 66% don’t know how to use
it.
The survey also revealed that many Americans engage in behaviors
considered to increase the risk of a home fire, including:
- Leaving the kitchen with something cooking on the stove
(61%);
- Charging an electronic device in bed overnight (49%); and
- Leaving a room with a candle lit (39%).
The History of the Junior Fire Marshal Program
The Junior Fire Marshal program was started in 1947 by an
employee of The Hartford. Since the program’s inception, The
Hartford has deputized more than 111 million Junior Fire
Marshals.
The company’s signature red fire helmets have been displayed
proudly by generations of children who have learned the basics of
fire safety and prevention through this innovative and educational
program. The program teaches lifesaving lessons such as Matches and
Lighters are for Grown-ups and Create and Practice Your Escape
Plan. These lessons, along with other fun, engaging and educational
activities, help parents and teachers have meaningful and vital
fire safety conversations with children.
Over the years, celebrities such as Mariano Rivera, Ron Howard,
Dick Van Dyke, Jack Benny, Jimmy Dean, Captain Kangaroo, Carol
Channing, Red Skelton, Johnny Carson, Robert Young, Henry "the
Fonz" Winkler and Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan have
helped The Hartford recognize children who participated in the
Junior Fire Marshal program.
For more information about The Hartford’s Home Fire Index and
Junior Fire Marshal program, visit www.thehartford.com/jfm.
1 The Hartford Home Fire Index is based on a combination of
FEMA’s National Fire Incident Reporting System data (NFIRS) and the
survey results from residents in the 200 largest U.S. cities based
on number of housing units. A rate of residential structure fires
per 10,000 housing units was calculated for each city using the
reported number of annual residential structure fires reported in
NFIRS with the total number of housing units reported in the 2010
U.S. Census. Standardized fire rates and survey scores were
combined to produce a ranked, composite Home Fire Risk score for
each city.
2 According to the National Fire Protection Association
About The Hartford Home Fire Index
The Hartford Home Fire Index is based on a study of the 200
largest U.S. cities based on the number of total housing units as
reported by the 2010 U.S. Census. The Hartford calculated rates of
residential fires for each city by using the number of annual
residential structure fires reported in NFIRS and dividing it by
the 2010 U.S. Census housing units. The Hartford also conducted a
survey on fire safety and prevention behaviors among the general
population in late 2019. Survey respondents (approximately 100 per
city) were given a score based on adoption of fire safety best
practices. Standardized fire rates and survey scores were combined
to produce a ranked, composite Home Fire Risk score for each
city.
About The Hartford
The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance,
group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of
expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service
excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More
information on the company and its financial performance is
available at https://www.thehartford.com. Follow us on Twitter at
@TheHartford_PR.
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG)
operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The
Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. For
additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.
HIG-C
Some of the statements in this release may be considered
forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors
should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results to differ. These important risks and
uncertainties include those discussed in our 2019 Annual Report on
Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, and the
other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of
the date issued.
From time to time, The Hartford may use its website and/or
social media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook, to disseminate
material company information. Financial and other important
information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through
and posted on our website at https://ir.thehartford.com, Twitter
account at www.twitter.com/TheHartford_PR and Facebook at
https://facebook.com/thehartford. In addition, you may
automatically receive email alerts and other information about The
Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Email
Alerts” section at https://ir.thehartford.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200310005598/en/
Media Contacts: AnnMarie LaBreck 860-547-3898
Jeff Welch 860-547-7623
Hartford Financial Servi... (NYSE:HIG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Hartford Financial Servi... (NYSE:HIG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024