Smoke alarms save lives

4/7/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke alarm

Did you know that 40% of home fire deaths occur in homes that do not have a smoke alarm? Additionally, for fires where a smoke alarm was present but did not operate, 43% of those smoke alarms simply had missing or disconnected batteries.

Having functional smoke alarms in your home drastically increases your chance of surviving a home fire. If you do not have smoke alarms, it is encouraged that you install them as soon as possible. Please read below for crucial information on how to operate and maintain your home’s smoke detectors.

• It is encouraged that you install both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
• Test batteries in your smoke alarms on a monthly basis.
• Replace batteries in battery-powered and hard-wired smoke alarms at least once a year (except non-replaceable 10-year lithium batteries).
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, both inside and outside of sleeping areas.
• Replace the entire smoke alarm unit every 8-10 years or according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Never disable a smoke alarm while cooking - it can be a deadly mistake.