Smoke alarm safety tips

The Trevose Fire Companywant you to be informed and how to keep your family safe.brbrSmoke alarms save lives. Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. When there is a fire smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out.brbrSafety tipsbrbrInstall smoke alarms in every bedroom outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home including the basement. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds they all sound.brbrAn ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection both types of alarms or a combination alarm photoelectric and ionization should be installed in homes.brbrTest alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.brbrSmoke rises install smoke alarms following manufacturers instructions high on a wall or on a ceiling. Save manufacturers instructions for testing and maintenance.brbrReplace batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year. If an alarm chirps warning the battery is low replace the battery right away.brbrReplace all smoke alarms including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms when they are 10 year old or sooner if they do not respond properly.brbrBe sure the smoke alarm has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.brbrAlarms that are hard-wired and include battery backup must be installed by a qualified electrician.brbrIf cooking fumes or steam sets off nuisance alarms replace the alarm with an alarm that has a hush button. A hush button will reduce the alarms sensitivity for a short period of time.brbrAn ionization alarm with a hush button or a photoelectric alarm should be used if the alarm is within 20 feet of a cooking appliance.brbrSmoke alarms that include a recordable voice announcement in addition to the usual alarm sound may be helpful in waking children through the use of a familiar voice.brbrSmoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices use strobe lights. Vibration devices can be added to these alarmsbrbrSmoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan