Protect your self and your family.
Home Safety Council research shows that 97 percent of American homes have at least one smoke alarm, but one may not be enough. Do you have enough smoke alarms in your home? Are they correctly installed? Early warning is essential for every fire escape plan. To ensure your family will be effectively alerted to any fire dangers
A smoke alarm is critical for the early detection of a fire in your home and could mean the difference between life and death.
In the event of a fire, properly installed and maintained smoke alarms will provide an early warning alarm to your household. This alarm could save your own life and those of your loved ones by providing the chance to escape.
Types of Smoke Alarms
Ionization Alarms sound more quickly when a flaming, fast moving fire occurs.
Photoelectric Alarms are quicker at sensing smoldering, smoky fires.
Dual Sensor Smoke Alarms are combination smoke alarms that combine ionization and photoelectric into one unit, called
Where Should Smoke Alarms be placed?
Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms.
Consider placing alarms along your escape path to assist in egress in limited visibility conditions. In general you should place alarms in the center of a ceiling or, if you place them on a wall, they should be 6 to 12 inches below the ceiling.
Avoid locating alarms near bathrooms, heating appliances, windows, or ceiling fans.
Do not place a smoke alarm too close to a kitchen appliance or fireplace, as this may result in nuisance alarms.
A Fire Escape Plan May Save You and Your Family
Installing working smoke alarms is an essential, but they don't save lives unless everyone knows how to get out of the home safely.
Make sure everyone knows how to escape when the smoke alarm sounds, whether awake or sleeping at the time.
In your plan, have two ways out of each room, a prearranged meeting place outside and, most importantly, ONCE OUT – STAY OUT!
Minimizing the amount of time it takes to get out can improve your chances of surviving a hazardous home fire.
Having a fire escape plan for you and your family can reduce the amount of time it takes to get out.
Practicing the fire escape plan will help everyone understand what to do and where to meet
The Overall Fire Picture - 2007
- There were 3,430 civilians that lost their lives as the result of fire.
- There were 17,675 civilian injuries that occurred as the result of fire.
- There were 118 firefighters killed while on duty.
- Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
- 84 percent of all civilian fire deaths occurred in residences.
- There were an estimated 1.6 million fires in 2007.
- Direct property loss due to fires was estimated at $14.6 billion.
- An estimated 32,500 intentionally set structure fires resulted in 295 civilian deaths.
- Intentionally set structure fires resulted in an estimated $733 million in property damage.
Source:National Fire Protection Association Fire Loss in the U.S. 2007 and USFA's Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2007.