National Fire Protection Association: New report reinforces benefits of smoke alarms

According to the NFPA report, almost three out of five home fire deaths happened in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy says that smoke alarms are important because you could have as little as two minutes to escape.

“We can’t underscore enough how critical it is to have properly installed and operating smoke alarms. The early warning from a smoke alarm provides precious time to get out and can be the difference between life and death,” she said. “Modern construction and furnishings in homes burn faster and hotter, making seconds count.”

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The report also stated that the risk of dying in reported home structure fires is 54 percent lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes with no alarms or none that worked.

The NFPA provides several smoke alarm safety tips:

• A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire: Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
• Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.
• Smoke alarms should be interconnected: When one sounds, they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month: Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working. Current alarms on the market employ different types of technology including multi-sensing, which could include smoke and carbon monoxide combined.
• Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms: They should be at least 10 feet from the stove.
• People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms: These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old/every 10 years.
• When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.

For more information, visit www.nfpa.org/smokealarms.