Smoke Alarm Facts

12/19/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke Alarms Save Lives!

We all know that Smoke Alarms save lives. Smoke alarms must be installed and maintained properly, however, to be effective. Here are some facts and stats from the NFPA:

• A closed door will slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire. Smoke alarms should be installed in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home. 
• Smoke alarms should all be interconnected, when one sounds, they all should sound. 
• Large homes will generally need extra smoke alarms.
• Test all of your smoke alarms at least once a month. Press and hold the test button to be sure the alarm is working.
• Today’s smoke alarms are more technologically advanced and may respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms.
• When a smoke alarm sounds, immediately get outside and stay outside.
• Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years regardless of technology type.

Smoke Alarm Statistics 

• In 2012-2016, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (53%) of all the home fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
• Almost three out of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (40%) or non working smoke alarms (17%).
• No smoke alarms were present in two out of every five (40%) home fire deaths in the US.  
• The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (12.3 deaths vs. 5.7 deaths per 1,000 fires).
• In fires in which the smoke did not work, more than two of every five (43%) of the smoke alarms had missing, or disconnected batteries. 
• Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25%) of all of the smoke alarm failures.

Safety is a job that's never finished. We at SERVPRO of East Meadow/Westbury are the experienced experts on smoke and fire damage.

Please call us at: 516-334-2927