Davis County in Utah is nestled between the Great Salt Lake to its west and the Wasatch Mountain Range to its east. The county was created in 1850, with Farmington as the county seat. The county’s growth was slow during its first 50 years but accelerated with the advent of the Utah Central Railroad. The railroad facilitated mechanized agriculture and the county’s surge into commerce, banking, and home electrification. The establishment of Hill Air Force Base in the northern part of the county led to a sharp uptick in civilian employment, which ushered in a flood of new residents.
As in any area, disaster strikes at times in Davis County. A monitoring conducted by the U.S. Fire Administration showed that home fires in Davis County claim the lives of residents on a regular basis. The monitoring identified the common causes of home fires, including faulty electrical wiring and outlets, carelessness in the kitchen, clothes dryers, and alternative heating sources. Although the overall fire death rate trend in the county has decreased by 24.4 percent over the last 10 years, there are still great risks. In 2014, Utah had 23 fire fatalities, for a 7.8 percent fire death rate and 0.7 percent relative risk compared to the U.S. general population.
Few people in home fires die due to burns; smoke inhalation is the most common cause of death. Fire typically spreads fast, especially when weather conditions allow it. Smoke can thicken quickly, making it hard for people to get out of their homes, despite their familiarity with the layout. Fire quickly consumes much of the available oxygen in the house. When oxygen levels descend below half the normal level, people have a hard time moving out of the house in an efficient manner.
Protection of life should be the number one concern in the event of a home fire. Residents should worry about getting themselves and their loved ones to safety before worrying about preserving any property. Things can be replaced; lives can’t.
Once everyone is safe and sound, they can focus on the cleanup and rebuilding of the home. The Disaster Company has professional team members who are trained in fire cleanup. We offer disaster-remediation services across the state, including Davis County fire cleanup.
