| Although smoke alarms do not prevent or put out fires, they do improve your chances of getting out alive! When properly installed and maintained, alarms buy you time – time to escape and time to notify!! ONLY WORKING SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES! Someday without warning, your life and the lives of those you love may depend on whether your smoke alarm is working. This year, start a lifesaving habit. . . AFTER TEN YEARS... REPLACE YOUR SMOKE ALARMS! A structure fire occurs every 1.2 minutes The peak period for home fire deaths is during the night between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. When most of us are sleeping. Working smoke alarms reduce your chances of dying in a fire by 50% Types of Smoke Alarms Whichever brand of smoke alarms you decide to install, make sure they are UL-approved and are replaced after eight to ten years. All UL-approved smoke alarms, when properly installed and maintained, offer 24-hour protection for you and your family, whether powered by batteries or household power. | Battery-Powered The new battery-powered smoke alarms operate on long-life lithium batteries and have a "hush button". Batteries should be tested weekly and the entire smoke alarm replaced in about 10 years. | Hard Wired Smoke alarms, which operate on household electrical current have the power they need to operate as long as there is current in the circuit to which they are connected. In the event of a power failure, or fire in the electrical circuit, detectors will become inoperable. Hard-wired smoke alarms should have a battery back-up feature in case of power failure. If yours does not, a battery-powered smoke alarm should be installed as well. | | Hearing Impaired Smoke alarms for the hearing impaired have a strobe light that, when activated, emits a white light that is able to awaken most sleepers. | Location Where you place your alarm(s) depends on the size and layout of your home, and where the members of your family sleep. Minimum protection requires smoke alarms outside the sleeping area(s) and on each additional level of the house, including the basement. For maximum protection, put a smoke alarm in every bedroom. Placement Because smoke rises, smoke alarms should be mounted high on a wall or ceiling. A ceiling-mounted unit should be placed as close to the center of the room as possible, or a minimum of 12 inches from a wall. Avoid installing alarms near air vents, windows, by the furnace, cold air return, or close to ceiling-mounted circulating fans. For a wall-mounted unit, the top of the alarms should be 6-12 inches from the ceiling. Maintenance Weekly Testing To be UL-approved, the test button on a smoke alarm must test all components in the unit, including the smoke sensor. Once a week, test your detector by pushing the test button. Never use and open flame to test your alarm. Cleaning Clean your alarm at least once a year with the soft brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Replacement Smoke alarms do "wear out" after 10 years. Replace your old (anything older than 10 years) battery-operated or hard-wired smoke alarms with the new long-life, hush button smoke alarms. Fire District 2 residents can call 503-647-9900 and request a smoke alarm inspection. Firefighters will inspect your home for adequate level of protection, and that smoke alarms work properly. | 