Fire Safety: Smoke Alarms

Make smoke alarms work for you

Early fire detection saves lives

By Sean Sims

Fire is fast, and early detection could be the difference between life and death.

Fire departments across the country mark Fire Prevention Week each October. The nonprofit National Fire Protection Association focuses each year on an important fire safety topic, and this year's theme is "Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!"

The 2024 Fire Prevention Week theme focuses on smoke alarms.

https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week

You may have as little as two minutes to safely exit the house once the smoke alarm sounds. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly.

Follow these three steps to ensure you have working smoke alarms and that you are properly protecting your family.

1

Install smoke alarms in every sleeping area, outside each sleeping area (typically a hallway) and on every level of the home, including the basement. When possible, alarms should be hard-wired to your electricity and interconnected so they all activate when one is set off.

2

Test alarms monthly by pressing the TEST button until the alarm activates. If your detector has a replaceable battery, change it twice a year when the clocks change. The monthly test is a great time to practice your family escape plan.

3

Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old, or if they malfunction, or if they fail to activate when tested. The manufacturing date is located on the back of every alarm. Carbon monoxide alarms and combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will need to be replaced sooner.

Sean Sims is a captain with the Oak Ridge Volunteer Fire Department in South Fayette Township.

Additional Resources

Are you looking for fire safety activities you can do at home? Visit sparkyschoolhouse.org.

Kids can visit sparky.org for online activities and videos, plus printable coloring pages and activity sheets.

If you have specific fire safety questions, contact your local volunteer fire department: southfayettepa.com/fire.