With the vast majority of U.S. fire deaths occurring in homes, a recent live fire demonstration vividly showed the potential deadly destruction from home fires compared to the life-saving impact of home fire sprinklers.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) are teaming up on a campaign to promote fire safety during winter months, when there are typically more home fires and home fire deaths.

According to a recent report released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 540 civilian deaths in the United States were attributed to smoking material fires in 2011, a 30 year low that is well down from 1980 levels.

Electrical failure or malfunction is a factor in 45,000 to 50,000 home fires annually – fires which kill approximately 455 people a year. Those sobering figures are from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Home Electrical Fires report , which said electrically-caused fires account for 13 percent of total home structure fires.