BRATTLEBORO — Working smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a fire. That's the message behind this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!”
Along with fire departments and other safety advocates nationwide, the Brattleboro Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 5-11, to remind local residents of the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home - and testing them monthly.
According to Brattleboro Fire Chief Michael Bucossi, roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are asleep.
As a fire can double in size every minute, a working home smoke alarm can alert occupants to a fire before it spreads, and give everyone enough time to get out.
Smoke alarms are also a key part of a home fire escape plan. Smoke spreads quickly in a fire. Working smoke alarms give all an early warning and time to get outside to safety.
Bucossi says working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are the most important safety devices you can have in your home: They provide essential early warning.
According to the NFPA, deaths from fires and burns are the third leading cause of fatal home injuries in the United States. On average, seven people die each day in home fires, and older adults are the age group most likely to die in a home fire.
The NFPA says there were 487,500 structure fires in the United States in 2013, causing 2,855 civilian deaths and 14,075 civilian injuries. As of early September of this year, there have been 1,522 residential fire fatalities in the United States.
Of these deaths, three out of five reportedly occurred in homes lacking working smoke alarms.
“Installing and maintaining these alarms could save a majority of the lives lost in home fires,” Bucossi said. “We have certainly seen several cases locally where smoke alarms made the difference.”
What kind of smoke detector should you get? There are two basic kinds: photoelectric and ionization.
The NFPA says photoelectric alarms are better at detecting smoldering fires, which create lots of smoke but little fire at first. They're your best bet for most places, fire experts say.
Ionization detectors work best for rapidly spreading fires in combustible materials, where there are lots of flames but little smoke. If you're going to have one in your kitchen, go with an ionization model. That will also reduce the likelihood of them being triggered by cooking.