This week is National Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme is “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
This year’s focus on working smoke alarms comes in response to the National Fire Protection Association’s data, which shows that the majority of U-S home fire deaths continue to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Having working smoke alarms in the home reduces the risk of dying in a home fire by 54 percent. However, roughly three out of five deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. 38 percent of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on each level of the home. Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
And replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or don’t respond when tested.
