Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)

Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)

Consider installing AFCIs in your home’s electrical panel box. Problems in home wiring, like arcing and sparking, are associated with more then 40,000 home fires each year. The Consumer Product Safety Commissions reports that these fires claim over 350 lives and injure 1400 victims annually. An arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) is provides enhanced protection from fires resulting from these unsafe home wiring conditions. They detect abnormal arcing in a circuit (which can cause overheating and lead to an electrical fire) and de-energize the circuit when an arc fault is detected. AFCIs are recognized for their effectiveness and now required by the National Electric Code® for bedroom circuits in new construction. Older homes with ordinary circuit breakers especially may benefit from the added protection against the arcing faults that can occur in aging wire systems. Be certain to have a qualified electrician install AFCIs. This installation involved working within electrical panel boxes that are usually live; even with the main circuit breakers turned off.

AFCIs should not be confused with ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). While both AFCIs and GFCIs are important safety devices, they have different functions. The popular

GFCI devices are designed to protect people against severe or fatal electric shock, not fire hazards. GFCIs can protect against some electrical fires by detecting faults to ground but cannot detect hazardous “across-the-line” arcing faults that can cause fires. The National Electric Code® requires GFCI protection for receptacles located outdoors, in bathrooms, garages, kitchens, crawl spaces and unfinished basements; and at certain locations such as near swimming pools.

Acknowledgments
Initial development of this guide was made possible by a grant from the Home Safety Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping prevent the nearly 21 million medical visits
that occur on average each year from unintentional injuries in the home. Through national programs and partners across America, the Home Safety Council works to educate and empower families to take actions that help keep them safe in and around their homes. This guide is the product of the hard work and collaboration of many professionals affiliated with the organizations partnering with the American Red Cross, which represents the expertise and commitment of the following organizations:

• American Geological Institute • Disability Preparedness Center • Home Safety Council • The Humane Society of the United States • Institute for Business & Home Safety • International Association of Emergency Managers • National Fire Protection Association • National Interagency Fire Council • National SafeKids Campaign • National Science Foundation • U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission • U.S. Department of Agriculture -Cooperative State Research, Education , and Extension Service -Extension Disaster Education Network -Food Safety and Inspection Service • U.S. Department of Commerce - NOAA/National Weather Service • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Food and Drug Administration • U.S. Department of Homeland Security -Federal Emergency Management Agency -U.S. Fire Administration • U.S. Department of Interior - U.S. Geological Survey
From: Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages. Washington, D.C., 2007.

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