Sedona AZ (October 5, 2015) – Sedona Fire Marshal Gary Johnson reminds the community that it’s Fire Prevention Week and this year’s message is “Every bedroom needs a smoke alarm!”
Smoke alarms save lives. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. In fact, having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a fire by 50%. Now that’s an impressive statistic!
Working smoke alarms make a lifesaving difference in a fire. Have you tested your household smoke alarms lately?
The Sedona Fire District is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week, October 4-10, to remind residents about the importance of having working alarms in the home that are tested monthly. According to the latest NFPA research, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms, or no working smoke alarms.
It’s Fire Prevention Week! Test your household smoke alarms monthly and practice your family fire escape plan twice each year.
“In a fire, seconds count,” said Fire Marshal Johnson, adding, “Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.”
Follow these simple steps in the event of a fire:
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home, when one sounds, they all do.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• Change the batteries once a year.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.
Does everyone in the home recognize the sound of a smoke alarm and understand what to do when it is heard? If in doubt, follow these steps:
• Make a home escape plan. Draw a map of your home including all doors and windows.
• Identify at least two ways out of every room.
• Have an outside meeting place, such as a tree or mailbox, a safe distance from your home.
• Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year – once during the day and once at night.
• Practice using a different way out each time.
• Always call 911 from outside your home.
Have questions about smoke alarms or need assistance testing your smoke alarms, contact the Sedona Fire District at (928) 282-6800 or your local fire department.
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