Have You Tested Your Smoke Alarms Recently?

Have You Tested Your Smoke Alarms Recently?

 
Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan. When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly.
   

The Asbury Park Fire Department encourages all residents to check their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working and to follow these fire safety tips!
   

Home fires injure and kill thousands every year, smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. We encourage everyone to test their smoke alarms, replace any alarms that are 10 years or older and conduct a home fire drill.

The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most families are sleeping. A working smoke alarm dramatically increases the chance for survival and provides advance warning of a fire resulting in more time to react and put a home escape plan into action.

Help keep your family safe by following these fire safety tips:

1.      Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, and in all sleeping areas.

2.      Retire old smoke alarms and replace with new ones every 10 years. Like any electronic device, smoke alarms wear out over time and need to be replaced. The life expectancy of smoke alarms is 10 years. Smoke alarms work by sensing smoke particles and after 10 years, the smoke sensors lose their sensitivity. The test button only confirms that the battery, electronics and alerting system are working; not that the smoke sensor is working.

3.      Plan and practice home fire drills regularly. Decide in advance who will help family members that may need assistance escaping (young children, older adults or people with disabilities).        

4.      Make sure children recognize the sound of your smoke alarm and how to respond to its signal.

5.      Know your battery type. Sealed smoke alarms equipped with 10-year batteries are becoming more common and the batteries do not need to be replaced if they are sealed into the unit. Check your smoke alarms to see what type of battery it uses. While 10-year, long-life batteries do not need to be replaced annually, the entire smoke alarm unit does need to be replaced every ten years.Hard-wired smoke alarms, not affected by the new law, should have a battery backup and like all smoke alarm units need to be replaced every 10 years.
6.   A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.

For questions, contact the Asbury Park Fire Marshal at 732-502-0364