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Fire Safety Guidelines!
Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries.

Smoke alarms save lives.  If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out.  Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half.  Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Fire research has demonstrated that with today’s modern furnishings, fires can spread much more rapidly than in the past when more natural materials were used. Because of this, having a sufficient number of properly located smoke alarms is essential to maximize the amount of available escape time.

Here's what you need to know!

A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.  Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area.  Install alarms on every level of the home.  Smoke alarms should be interconnected.  When one sounds, they all sound.
Test your smoke alarms at least once a month.
When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years

Smoke alarms by the numbers

In 2009-2013, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (53%) of the home fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
Three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (38%) or no working smoke alarms (21%).
No smoke alarms were present in almost two out of every five (38%) home fire deaths. 

Replacing your smoke alarms

Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.  To determine the age of your smoke alarm, look at the back where you will find the date of manufacture. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture.
Immediately replace any smoke alarm that does not respond properly when tested.
Replace combination smoke-carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Installing and maintaining smoke alarms
Installing your smoke alarms correctly - and making sure they are in working order - is an important step to making your home and family safer from fire.

 A smoke alarm installation program in your community can make a measurable difference in reducing deaths and injuries from fire.  The updated “Planning and Implementing a Successful Smoke Alarm Installation Program” Web version (PDF, 1 MB) Print version (PDF, 5 MB) is a comprehensive guide including everything you’ll need to get started, from tips on how to select volunteers, to pointers on soliciting donations and publicizing your program.

It’s important to have enough smoke alarms in your home.  Fire research has demonstrated that with today’s modern furnishings, fires can spread much more rapidly than in the past when more natural materials were used. Because of this, having a sufficient number of properly located smoke alarms is essential to maximize the amount of available escape time.  For many years NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, has required as a minimum that smoke alarms be installed inside every sleep room (even for existing homes) in addition to requiring them outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. (Additional smoke alarms are required for larger homes.) Homes built to earlier standards often don’t meet these minimum requirements. Homeowners and enforcement authorities should recognize that detection needs have changed over the years and take proactive steps make sure that every home has a sufficient complement of smoke alarms.

Installing smoke alarms

Choose smoke alarms that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
On levels without bedrooms, install alarms in the living room (or den or family room) or near the stairway to the upper level, or in both locations.
Smoke alarms installed in the basement should be installed on the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs leading to the next level.
[Figure A.29.8.3.1 Smoke alarm installation] Smoke alarms should be installed at least 10 feet (3 meters) from a cooking appliance to minimize false alarms when cooking.
Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Wall-mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling (to the top of the alarm).
If you have ceilings that are pitched, install the alarm within 3 feet of the peak but not within the apex of the peak (four inches down from the peak).
Don't install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
Never paint smoke alarms.  Paint, stickers, or other decorations could keep the alarms from working.
For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms.  When one smoke alarm sounds they all sound. Interconnection can be done using hard-wiring or wireless technology.
When interconnected smoke alarms are installed, it is important that all of the alarms are from the same manufacturer.  If the alarms are not compatible, they may not sound.
There are two types of smoke alarms – ionization and photoelectric.  An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires, and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires.  For the best protection, both types of alarms or combination ionization-photoelectric alarms, also known as dual sensor smoke alarms, are recommended.
Keep manufacturer’s instructions for reference.
 
Testing smoke alarms

Smoke alarms should be maintained according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working well.  The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.
Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10-year batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years.  If the alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
Smoke alarms with any other type of battery need a new battery at least once a year.  If that alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
When replacing a battery, follow manufacturer’s list of batteries on the back of the alarm or manufacturer’s instructions.  Manufacturer’s instructions are specific to the batteries (brand and model) that must be used.  The smoke alarm may not work properly if a different kind of battery is used.


Interconnected smoke alarms increase safety

In a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) survey of households with any fires, including fires in which the fire department was not called, interconnected smoke alarms were more likely to operate and alert occupants to a fire.1 People may know about a fire without hearing a smoke alarm.

When smoke alarms (interconnected or not) were on all floors, they sounded in 37% of fires and alerted occupants in 15%.
When smoke alarms were not on all floors, they sounded in only 4% of the fires and alerted occupants in only 2%.
In homes that had interconnected smoke alarms, the alarms sounded in half (53%) of the fires and alerted people in one-quarter (26%) of the fires.

Replacing your smoke alarms

Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. To determine the age of your smoke alarm, look at the back where you will find the date of manufacture. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture.
Immediately replace any smoke alarm that does not respond properly when tested.
Replace combination smoke-carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Family activity: check your smoke alarms

Download a calendar tearsheet (PDF, 228 KB), and put it in an important place in your home.  Remember to have a grown-up test your smoke alarms once a month. Tear off the correct month when the test is finished.

Escape planning

Create a home escape plan
Develop and practice a home fire escape plan using NFPA's home escape plan grid (PDF, 1.1 MB).

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. Read all of NFPA's escape planning tips and download our free safety tip sheet.

Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

In 2014, there were an estimated 367,500 reported home structure fires and 2,745 associated civilian deaths in the United States.

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds.  A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area.  Install alarms on every level of the home.  Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound.  Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.  Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.  Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. For easy planning, download NFPA's escape planning grid (PDF, 1.1 MB).  This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.

For more information follow the links below:

http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/fire-and-safety-equipment/smoke-alarms/installing-and-maintaining-smoke-alarms

http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/escape-planning

 


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