Smoke
Alarms Save Lives
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Lt. Scott Ramage installs
a smoke alarm for a senior
citizen living in a condo.
Get Alarmed!
Smoke alarms can saves lives if they are
functioning properly, but studies show that most smoke alarms
don't work because of missing, dead or disconnected batteries.
In fact, most people die in fires because of the toxic smoke,
not the flames. Deadly carbon monoxide suffocates the body,
preventing it from receiving life-sustaining oxygen. People go
into a lethargic state, and most people die before the fire even
gets to them. Families who have working smoke alarms installed
inside each sleeping area and in common areas such as a living
room or hallway are more than 70 percent more likely to escape a
fire unharmed. If families cannot afford smoke alarms or don't
know how to install them, Marion County Fire-Rescue can help,
free of charge. To register for assistance, call (352) 291-8000.
To expedite the process, download, print and fill-out this
Hold Harmless
Agreement.
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Change Your Clocks; Change Your Batteries
Spring ahead; fall back. When you change the clocks ahead or
back an hour when the time changes, firefighters recommend
changing the batteries in your smoke alarms also. |
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Smoke Alarm Maintenance Tips:
 Test smoke
alarms at least once a month by using the alarm's test button
Replace the
batteries at least twice a year or when the low battery alarm
chirps
Replace your
smoke alarms every 10 years
Never "borrow"
a battery from your smoke alarms because you will likely forget
to replace it
Clean your
smoke alarms in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions |
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Smoke Alarm Installation Tips:
Install at
least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside every sleeping area
and in common areas such as a living room or hallway
Mount smoke
alarms high on walls about four to 12 inches from the ceiling or directly on the
ceiling
Don't install
smoke alarms near windows, outside doors or ducts where drafts might interfere
Don't paint
your smoke alarms; paint and other decorations could prevent them from
functioning properly |
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Other Safety Tips:
People with
hearing impairments should install smoke alarms with louder alarms or strobe
lights
A qualified
electrician should install smoke alarms that are hard-wired to the home's
electrical system
Make sure
everyone can hear the smoke alarm and knows how to get out of the house
immediately
People using
fuel-powered appliances or generators should also install carbon monoxide alarms
Brainstorm a
fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year with family members
Identify two exits from every room, which may include a door and window
Stay low and
go, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches above the floor when escaping
Use the back of your hand to test doors for heat before exiting
Choose a safe
meeting place outside
Get out and
stay out; never go back inside a burning building for any reason
Call 911 from
outside a burning home from a neighbor's house or by using a cell phone
outdoors; never assume someone else has called for help.
Hire a
professional to clean and inspect your chimney, furnace and space heaters once a
year
Keep
combustibles, children and pets at least three feet from heat sources
Burn candles
only when adults are present and remember to blow them out when leaving a room
Keep matches
and lighters away from children
Sleep with
bedroom doors closed to slow a fire's progression
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Different Types of Alarms Ionization
Ionization
Smoke alarms have a small amount of radioactive material between two
electrically charged plates, which ionizes the air and causes current to
flow between the plates. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the
flow of ions and reduces the flow of current, activating the alarm.
Ionization alarms respond faster to fast, flaming fires.
Photoelectric
Photoelectric alarms aim a light source into a sensing chamber at an
angle away from the sensor. Smoke enters the chamber, reflecting light
onto the light sensor, triggering the alarm.
Photoelectric alarms respond faster to slow, smoldering fires.
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Ionization smoke
alarms respond
faster to fast, flaming
fires
whereas
photoelectric alarms
respond better to slow, smoldering fires. |
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What's Recommended?
Since photoelectric alarms respond faster to smoldering fires and
ionization alarms respond slightly faster to flaming fires, Marion County
Fire Rescue recommends installing dual-mode alarms that use both
technologies. These alarms are more expensive (retail price about $22), but since citizens can never
predict the type of fire that will occur, this is money well spent. MCFR
uses the "First Alert Ultimate Smoke and Fire Alarm" (right photo) for its
"Get Alarmed" program. This alarm is nuisance resistant and features a dual
sensor. The model number is SA302. To reach First Alert directly, call (800)
323-9005 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Central Standard Time. |
MCFR recommends installing dual-mode
smoke alarms like
these that use both
the ionization and photoelectric
technologies and offer double the
protection. |
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