Providence, RI Ranks 71 on New List of 100 U.S. Cities w/ Highest Home Fire Risk

The Hartford Home Fire Index Identifies 100 U.S. Cities With Highest Fire Risk

* Company marks 70th anniversary of its Junior Fire Marshal(r) program with $2
million donation and commitment to educate 1.5 million children about fire
prevention and safety in the 100 cities
* Since 1947, more than 110 million children deputized as Junior Fire Marshals;
such notable people as Ron Howard, Dick Van Dyke and Ronald Reagan helped to
recognize children who participated in the program

HARTFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The
Hartford
released its ranking of the 100 U.S. cities with the highest home fire risk.
According to The Hartford Home Fire
Index,
the top five cities are: Detroit, Mich.; Shreveport, La.; Boston, Mass.; Flint,
Mich. and Richmond, Va. A complete list of the 100 U.S. cities can be found at
www.thehartford.com/jfm.
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 home fire is reported in the U.S. every 86 seconds and 33 percent of home fires
are started by children 6-9 years old.2 As part of the 70th anniversary of The
Hartford’s Junior Fire Marshal program, which is one of the country’s oldest
corporate-sponsored public education programs, The Hartford has committed to donate
a total of $2 million to local school districts and fire departments for fire safety
education. In addition, the company will provide educational materials to 1.5
million children in kindergarten through third grade. The funding and resources will
go to the 100 U.S. cities identified in The Hartford’s Home Fire Index.

«Since The Hartford’s beginning as a fire insurance company more than 200 years ago,
we have been committed to fire prevention and safety,» said The Hartford’s Chairman
and CEO Christopher Swift. «We are proud of our heritage and the legacy of the
Junior Fire Marshal program, but there is still more we can do to help build safer
communities. Home fires continue to be an issue today. Our goal is to empower
everyday kids to become everyday heroes by providing them with the tools and
training to reduce fire risk in their homes and be safe.»

2017-2019 Junior Fire Marshal Program
Over the next three years, The Hartford is making a $2 million donation and
commitment to the following:

* Donate $10,000 — to the public school district in each of the 100 cities to
support ongoing fire safety education for a total of $1 million.
* Donate $10,000 — to local fire departments in each of the 100 cities to
support ongoing fire safety education for a total of $1 million.
* Provide educational materials to 1.5 million children in kindergarten through
third grade in each of the public schools in the 100 cities. The Hartford Junior
Fire Marshal classroom kit comes with The Hartford’s signature red fire helmets,
an educator and parent guide and coloring posters designed to introduce fire
safety concepts to children.

In addition to this pledge and financial commitment, The Hartford has created a
mobile fire safety house that will visit schools in select cities across the U.S. to
immerse students in fire safety demonstrations using state-of-the-art technology
that simulates various home fire situations.

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 110 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 through this innovative and
educational program. The program teaches lifesaving lessons such as Stop, Drop and
Roll, Go Low in Smoke and Draw a Home Fire 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 and students.
Over the years, celebrities such as Ron Howard, Dick Van Dyke, Jack Benny, Jimmy
Dean, Mr. Green Jeans and 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,
visitwww.thehartford.com/jfm.

1 NFIRS is a voluntary reporting system run by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency based on data submitted by fire departments from around the country. The data
was standardized based on population size and adjusted as needed to reflect the
voluntary nature of the data within the system.
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 largest U.S. cities with a
minimum of 80,000 housing units as reported by the 2010 U.S. Census. The Hartford
calculated a rate of residential fires using the number of residential structure
fires from the 2014 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data, dividing
by 2010 U.S. Census housing units. The Hartford also conducted a survey on fire
safety and prevention behaviors among the general population in late 2016 and in
early 2017. 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 averaged to produce a composite score for each city.