Incidence of fires and related injuries after giving out free smoke alarms: cluster randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the effect of giving out free smoke alarms on rates of fires and rates of fire related injury in a deprived multiethnic urban population.


METHODS
Cluster randomised controlled trial.


METHODS
Forty electoral wards in two boroughs of inner London, United Kingdom.


METHODS
Primarily households including elderly people or children and households that are in housing rented from the borough council.


METHODS
20 050 smoke alarms, fittings, and educational brochures distributed free and installed on request.


METHODS
Rates of fires and related injuries during two years after the distribution; alarm ownership, installation, and function.


RESULTS
Giving out free smoke alarms did not reduce injuries related to fire (rate ratio 1.3; 95% confidence interval 0.9 to 1.9), admissions to hospital and deaths (1.3; 0.7 to 2.3), or fires attended by the fire brigade (1.1; 0.96 to 1.3). Similar proportions of intervention and control households had installed alarms (36/119 (30%) v 35/109 (32%); odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 1.7) and working alarms (19/118 (16%) v 18/108 (17%); 0.9; 0.4 to 1.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Giving out free smoke alarms in a deprived, multiethnic, urban community did not reduce injuries related to fire, mostly because few alarms had been installed or were maintained.
DiGuiseppi
Carolyn
C
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Campus Box B-119, Denver, CO 80262, USA. Carolyn.DiGuiseppi@uchsc.edu
Roberts
Ian
I
Wade
Angie
A
Sculpher
Mark
M
Edwards
Phil
P
Godward
Catherine
C
Pan
Huiqi
H
Slater
Suzanne
S
D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004630:Emergencies; D005390:Fires / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011482:Protective Devices; D012307:Risk Factors; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014504:Urban Health
D012906:Smoke