Segmentation report 2021
Introduction
This report reviews research evidence and national fire statistics relating to accidental dwelling fires (ADFs). The aim of the report is to identify the human characteristics that are associated with increased risk of experiencing an ADF, and ADF-related injury and/or an ADF-related fatality. For the purpose of the report, evidence was grouped as relating to demographic, behavioural, and socio-economic factors that were associated with each type of ADF risk.
Overall, the report identified that there is a lack of UK-based evidence to support audience segmentation for ADF risk, which means that UK FRS have limited information to support targeting safety and prevention activity. There was also no evidence found that identified any psychographic (attitudes, beliefs, views) factors that would support segmentation and prevention activity.
The main findings that could be drawn from the evidence base is that the characteristics associated with ADF-related fatalities are largely separate from those associated with experiencing an ADF and ADF-related injury. There is also a lot of cross-over among different characteristics, which adds challenge to specific targeting of prevention activity. With this in mind, it is important this this report is used in conjunction with other pieces of evidence, particularly local statistics, to inform decision making.
Research evidence was identified through structured snowball searching of the relevant academic and grey literature, but is not an exhaustive list of potentially relevant evidence. The report focuses on ADFs and therefore there may be wider evidence relating to fire risk and risky behaviour that predict fire risk, but were not deemed relevant to this report.