Fire Prevention Week Starts With A "“Beep, Beep Beep”

Fire Prevention Week 2010 runs this week from October 3 to 9, 2010 and is a good time to update your fire safety practices. Fire safety in the home is something everyone should take very seriously and spreading the message of importance of being fully prepared in the event of a real fire emergency.

A working smoke alarm is a critical element of home fire safety but knowing exactly what to do in the event of a real fire emergency is also crucial. All smoke alarms in the home should have replace their batteries at least once a year and is strongly recommend.

“Install. Inspect. Protect. Smoke alarms save live.” Only if they are properly installed, inspected, and tested on an monthly bases will smoke alarms work properly and correctly. Test monthly for the “Beep, Beep Beep” sound when the test button is pressed. If you don’t hear a beeping sound check your battery and replace with a new one if needed. If you still don’t hear the beeping sound after pressing the test button you may need to replace the whole smoke alarm with a new smoke alarm.

It is a FACT: If your smoke alarm was installed before October 1, 2000, it needs to be replaced with a new one.

Focus on Fire Safety: Smoke Alarms

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Smoke alarms are a Smoke avery important means of preventing home fire fatalities by providing an early warning signal so you and your family can escape. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 385,500 fires occur in residential buildings every year resulting in 2,770 civilian deaths and 13,250 injuries. When a smoke alarm sounds, it is time for you to spring into action.

You can prevent tragedy simply by testing and maintaining your smoke alarms and practicing a fire escape plan. Make sure your home fire escape plan is up to date and everyone in the home knows what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Practice your plan often.

The theme for this year's Fire Prevention Week, October 3 – 9, is Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With.

USFA encourages you to practice fire safety and to do your part to get out, before firefighters have to come in. For more information on smoke alarms, residential fire sprinklers, and escape planning, visit our Install. Inspect. Protect. fire safety campaign page.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Test Smoke & CO Detectors . . . Save Your Life

All homes should have working smoke & CO detectors. Working is the "key" word. To ensure you have fully operating units, test smoke & CO detectors at least once a month. A broken detector provides no protection. Don't go without early warning. Make periodic checks routine in your home. Use the "Press To Test" button on detector to test. Train everyone to respond quickly at the sound of the detector. Seconds count! Test your smoke & CO detectors and save your live.

Follow these 10 easy tips on smoke alarms:

1. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have a working smoke alarm that can sound fast for both a fire that has flames, and a smoky fire that has fumes without flames. It is called a "Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm."
2. Place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of every level of your home and outside bedrooms. Children and older people can sleep though the loud sound of a smoke alarm. Make sure your escape plan includes someone that can help children and others wake up immediately to escape from the home.
3. If you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of each bedroom.
4. Check smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button.
5. Never take smoke alarm batteries out to put into other items like games or remote controls.
6. Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when they hear the alarm sound.
7. If there is a fire, leave the home right away by crawling low under the smoke and never go back inside.
8. If smoke from cooking makes the alarm sound, press the �hush� button, if your alarm has one. You can also turn on the kitchen fan, open a window or wave a towel near the alarm until it stops making the sound. Never take the battery out of the alarm.
9. Most alarms need a new battery at least once a year. Some smoke alarms have batteries that last for up to 10 years. If your smoke alarm is over 10 years old, replace it with a new alarm and a new battery.
10. If you rent, talk to your landlord about placing a working smoke alarm in your home. You still need to buy a new battery at least once a year for the alarm.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)