Fire Prevention Week Highlights Importance of Smoke Alarms

Staff Report

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has declared “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives. Test Yours Every Month!” to be the theme for Fire Prevention Week 2014, Oct. 5-11, and Fire Chief Kelvin J. Cochran is urging Atlantans to check their smoke alarms to make sure the batteries are sound.

“Sometimes we feel righteous about having installed a smoke alar, but we forget that it is just a tool that needs to be maintained,” Chief Cochran said. “A smoke alarm is only effective if its batteries are in good working order. It’s very sad to go into a home after a fire and see a non-working smoke alarm on the wall.”

According to the NFPA, having a working smoke alarm in the home cuts the risk of dying in a fire in half. On average, each year three out of five home fire deaths result from fires where there is either no smoke alarm or no working smoke alarm.

“Nationwide, almost 3,000 people die every year from fires that occur in homes,” Chief Cochran said. “Most of those are preventable. “

The NFPA recommends:
• Having a smoke alarm inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement;
• Testing smoke alarms every month by using the test button; and
• Replacing all smoke alarms every 10 years or sooner if they don’t respond properly when tested.

Fire Prevention Week occurs annually in October during the week in which October 9 falls to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.