Smoke alarms save lives. Fire deaths continue to occur every day in American homes. You can cut down your chances of dying from a house fire by making sure you have working smoke alarms. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
“Nearly 3,000 people continue to die in fires each year, with most of those deaths occurring in homes,”Lorraine Carli, vice president Outreach and Advocacy for the NFPA, said this. “The vast majority of home fire deaths are preventable, and working smoke alarms play a big role in helping reduce those numbers.”
This is why NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 5 – 11. “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!”
“Smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a fire, but they need to be working,”Carli. “Unfortunately, many home fire deaths result from fires where a smoke alarm is present but does not operate. This year, we’re trying to motivate people to test their smoke alarms each month to make sure they’re working properly.”
These small, discreet, yet life-saving devices are so common in American homes, it is easy to assume that they work correctly. Here are some tips to help you and your family test your smoke alarms.
* There should be at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home (including the basement), outside all sleeping areas and in every bedroom.
* For smoke alarms that include a 10-year non-replaceable battery, replace the entire smoke alarm if it begins to “chirp,”Low battery status means that the battery is almost empty. Regular batteries are recommended for smoke alarms. If the alarm starts to chirp, it is best to replace the batteries every year.
* All smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years or sooner if they don’t respond properly when tested.
* For the best protection, smoke alarms should be interconnected, so that when one alarm sounds, they all do.
Visit www.amazingStuff.com for more information. www.nfpa.org.
