Working smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a fire. That’s the message behind this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!” Along with firefighters and safety advocates nationwide, San Bernardino County Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11, to remind local residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home and testing them monthly.
According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
“In a fire, seconds count,” says Mike Horton, San Bernardino County Fire Marshal. “Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.” This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement or understory.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. This way, when one activates, they all sound the alarm.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.
San Bernardino County Fire Department will be hosting activities throughout the County during Fire Prevention Week to promote “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives!” Through these educational, family-oriented activities, residents can learn more about the importance of working smoke alarms and testing them monthly. San Bernardino County Fire Department reminds residents that when they change batteries in any of their household equipment to take them to a collection facility instead of placing them in the trash. For facility locations go to our website, www.sbcfire.org/hazmat/hhwcollection.aspx. To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities, or general safety information, please visit our website at www.sbcfire.org.
Thanks for the advice to install alarms in every room of a building. My workplace is looking at installing new fire alarms around the office. Perhaps looking into fire alarms with backup power sources would be a smart idea as well.