Smoke Detectors & Preparation Save Lives

Residents are reminded of the importance and value of having properly operating smoke detectors in your home. A smoke detector may save your life!

Smoke Detectors

If a fire occurs in your home, your chances of survival are when smoke detectors are present. One of the foremost methods to prevent a fire from occurring in your home is to install smoke detectors outside each separate sleeping area and on each floor of your home, including the basement. Review the following helpful tips in picking out your smoke detector:

• Working smoke detectors can reduce the risk of death in a residential fire by 40 to 50%.
• The best smoke detectors are those with lithium-powered batteries and hush buttons. A lithium powered battery can last up to ten years; hush buttons allow you to quickly stop nuisance alarms that are caused by oven smoke, burnt toast, prolonged cooking, etc.
• If 10 years, long-life smoke detectors are not available, install smoke detectors that use regular batteries, preferable alkaline, and replace batteries as necessary, at least once a year.

Testing

Smoke detectors should be tested every week. The face and grillwork of the detectors should be cleaned to remove dust and grease and dust should be blown out through the grillwork. Batteries should be changed on a regular basis. As a reminder, change your batteries when you change your clocks in the spring and in the fall.

Be Prepared

Know at least two ways out of your house. Parents with school age children are urged to consult with your children when planning exit drills in your home. Your children are learning "fire safety skills" in the local schools and you may learn from them. Remember, "A working smoke detector can be your best protection against fire" in your home.