This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, encourages the fire service to educate their communities about the different sounds smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms make and actions to take if an alarm sounds. Read and review this information and then educate your family and friends. Fire is Everyone’s Fight!
Carbon monoxide or CO Alarms: Did you know?
More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental non-fire related carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the “Invisible Killer” because it's a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the Unites States die every year from accidental nonfire-related CO poisoning associated with consumer products, including generators. Other products include faulty, improperly-used or incorrectly-vented fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces.
Learn what you can do to protect your family from the dangers of monoxide or CO:
- Install and maintain CO alarms inside your home to provide early
- warning of CO.
- Install CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping
- area and on every level of your home.
- Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all
- doors, windows, and vents.
- Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of
- snow and other debris.
Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms.
- Choose interconnected smoke alarms, so when one sounds, they all sound.
- Put smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area. Put alarms on every level of the home.
- Make sure your smoke alarms work. Your family is not safe if they can’t hear the smoke alarms.
- Test smoke alarms every month and replace 9-volt smoke alarm batteries at least once every year.
- Smoke alarms do not last forever. Get new smoke alarms every 10 years.
- When you hear a smoke alarm, you may have less than 2 minutes to get everyone outside and safe.
Where to Put Home Smoke Alarms
Have smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. If you are renting the home, and you don’t have them, ask your landlord or rental agent to install them. Smoke alarms need to be at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance. Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button. Replace smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. If needed, install smoke alarms and alert devices for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Strobe lights flash when the smoke alarm sounds. The lights warn people of a possible fire. If needed, use a pillow or bed shaker to wake people who are deaf, so they can escape. The shaker is activated by the sound of the alarm.
Fire Safety For People With Disabilities
Millions of Americans live with physical and mental disabilities. It is important to know your risk and build your fire prevention plans around your abilities.
- Have smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
- Interconnect your alarms, so when one sounds, they all sound.
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing, use smoke alarms with a vibrating pad, flashing light or strobe light. These accessories start when your alarm sounds.
- Test your alarms every month.
Plan your escape around your abilities.
- Know two ways out of every room.
- If possible, live near an exit.
- You’ll be safest on the ground floor if you live in an apartment building.
- If you live in a multistory home, sleep on the first floor.
- Being on the ground floor and near an exit will make your escape easier.