Let's Hear It For Fire Safety!

Test Your Detectors.

Most fatal fires occur at night, when most people are asleep. A common misconception is that smoke will awaken you if a fire does break out. In fact, the toxic smoke may actually put you into a deeper sleep, making a safe escape impossible. Make sure you have working detectors outside each sleeping area on each level of your home. They sound an early warning in the event of a fire, waking up your family before they are overcome by smoke, giving them time to escape. Having a detector in your home cuts your risk of dying in a home fire nearly in half. For extra protection, you can add detectors in dining rooms, furnace areas and hallways. Since most fires occur at night, encourages your family to sleep with the bedroom door closed. This may muffle the warning sound from a smoke detector in the hallway. Adding a smoke detector in the bedroom will alert the family member to the threat of fire in the house. New homes are required to have a smoke detector in each sleeping area. An inexpensive household smoke detector can be installed following the manufacturers instructions, using only a drill and a screwdriver. Smoke detectors can mean the difference between life and death.

Test your detectors once a month, following the manufacturer's instruction. Replace the detector's batteries routinely at the same time each year or when a weak battery signal is heard. A good way to remind yourself to change the batteries is to choose a date such as a holiday or your birthday.

For years we have known that the best way to fight a fire is to stop it before it starts. But when fire prevention isn't possible, a smoke detector is your first and best line of defense. Make sure yours is working properly.

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 The Fellowship Of Christian Firefighters

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