Stop, Drop and Blog

Consider this your friendly Fire Family reminder to change the batteries in your smoke detectors while you’re changing all the clocks in your house. I will note that I did not change the batteries in our smoke detectors today because my back is giving me fits and I thought hanging out on the ladder seemed like a bad idea. However, I’m going to bet good money that FireDad will change ours tomorrow.

Some fast facts:

• Only 6% of U.S. homes are not equipped with smoke alarms, yet 40% of residences with fire had no installed alarm. (Source.)
• On Friday, November 4, 2011, 12 residential fire fatalities were reported by news media throughout the United States. (Source.)
• Some fire departments offer reduced price, or even free, smoke alarms. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information.

When did you last test your smoke detector batteries? Don’t lie. If it’s been awhile and you’ve been out of the house for longer than a day, you’re running the risk that your batteries died and you simply don’t know about it. Change your batteries today and then start following these easy tips for fire safety in your home.

• One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have a working smoke alarm that can sound fast for both a fire that has flames, and a smoky fire that has fumes without flames. It is called a “Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm.”
• Place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of every level of your home and outside bedrooms. Children and older people can sleep though the loud sound of a smoke alarm. Make sure your escape plan includes someone that can help children and others wake up immediately to escape from the home.
• If you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of each bedroom.
• Check smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button.
• Never take smoke alarm batteries out to put into other items like games or remote controls.
• Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when they hear the alarm sound.
• If there is a fire, leave the home right away by crawling low under the smoke and never go back inside.
• If smoke from cooking makes the alarm sound, press the “hush” button, if your alarm has one. You can also turn on the kitchen fan, open a window or wave a towel near the alarm until it stops making the sound. Never take the battery out of the alarm.
• Most alarms need a new battery at least once a year. Some smoke alarms have batteries that last for up to 10 years. If your smoke alarm is over 10 years old, replace it with a new alarm and a new battery.
• If you rent, talk to your landlord about placing a working smoke alarm in your home. You still need to buy a new battery at least once a year for the alarm.

(Source.)

An old co-worker of mine tried to argue that smoke detectors in each bedroom and outside the sleeping area of the home was “overkill.” I just kind of looked at him like he had two heads. In the middle of the night, in the dark of your home with the added stress of thick smoke, don’t you want to have the greatest chance of getting everyone awake and out of the house? Yes. Yes you do.

In short: Change your batteries. Now. Or when your smoke detector starts beeping in the middle of the night, you can think back to this post and say, “Gee, I should have listened to FireMom.”