Smoke Alarms Only Save Lives When They are Used Correctly

9/7/2018 (Permalink)

Visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/ for more information

Every single time that I cook pancakes, the smoke alarm goes off. Go ahead, laugh. It’s comical. And it probably means that I’m terrible at making pancakes. But with this kind of consistency, it could also mean that I don’t have the proper type of smoke alarm or that it’s not in the correct place. Is it this way in your home? Are you certain that you have the correct alarms and that they are correctly placed? The U.S Fire Administration (USFA) has provided smoke alarm guidelines for use in homes.

Let’s start with which kind of smoke alarm you should have. There are two distinct kinds of alarms with either ionization or photoelectric sensors. Because these alarms sense different kinds of fires, the USFA recommends that a home has both kinds of sensors present. This could mean buying two different smoke alarms or simply buying one dual-sensor alarm. Just having the correct alarm isn’t enough, though. It also has to be placed correctly. Smoke alarms should be placed near all sleeping areas as well as inside and outside of the doors to sleeping areas, as closed doors can block or slow the spread of smoke.  Alarms should also be placed on every floor of a home, including the basement. Because it could be difficult to hear a smoke alarm that is sounding in the basement from a second-floor bedroom, the USFA also recommends that you have smoke alarms that are connected, so that if one sounds they all do.

Even if your smoke alarms are the correct kind and are correctly placed, they still must be maintained. You should check your smoke alarms once a month by pressing the test button. At least once a year you should also change the battery and every ten years the smoke alarm should be replaced.

This may start to sound like a lot of work, but the USFA has released a recent study that three out of five deaths that occurred in a home fire were in a home that did not have a working smoke detector. Additionally, with correctly placed and working detectors the chance of dying in a home fire is reduced by half!

Smoke detectors are an important preventative measure and the Department of Fire Rescue in Albemarle wants to make sure there are smoke detectors in every home. As such, they participate in a Smoke Detector Program which allows any home that may not be able to afford a smoke alarm to request a free smoke alarm. You can apply for this program at www.ACFireRescue.org

I hope these tips help make your home safer and encourage you to continue making excellent pancakes and pan seared steaks without fear of upsetting your smoke alarm.