Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Smoke Detectors And Fire Safety



Entry level fire protec tion
Every home should have working smoke alarms on each level, and protecting each sleeping area. The Home Safety Council recommends installing smoke alarms inside bedrooms as well. For the best detection and notification protection, install both ionization and photoelectric type smoke alarms. Some models provide dual coverage. The type will be printed on the box or package.

Kids and Smoke Detectors
Did you know that despite a piercing 70-85 decibel signal, children often sleep through the sound of a home smoke alarm? A quick response is essential in a fire emergency, so if children don't waken to the signal, parents and caregivers must wake them. Interconnected smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference. Interconnected smoke alarms are hard-wired into a home's electrical system and each alarm is connected together so that when one alarm signals, they all signal, no matter where the fire starts.

With interconnected smoke alarms, you'll have early warning of the fire wherever you are, because the smoke alarm in your room will sound at the same time as the alarm in the room with the fire. If your children or someone else in the household isn't aroused by the smoke alarm, you'll be able to waken them, hastening their safe escape.

Danger: Even with interconnected alarms, emerging research has demonstrated that sleeping children may be able to tune out the blaring sound. Make sure your children wake and properly respond when the smoke alarms signal. Empowering children with basic fire escape skills is a very good idea - everyone should know to react immediately to the sound of the alarm and how to get outside quickly. But before assuming children will react appropriately to a late-night fire, parents must learn if their children will be roused immediately or sleep through the smoke alarm. Even those who awaken to the sound of the alarm may be groggy or move with indecision.

Learn if your children will awaken
To find out for certain, the Home Safety Council urges parents to hold regular family fire drills. Children can participate in the drills by helping to draw the fire escape plan. Once kids have mastered fire escape skills, hold a drill when children are sleeping to learn how they will respond to the sound of the smoke alarm (this is of utmost importance.) Push the "test" button on the closest alarm during the drill. If children don't readily waken and demonstrate the ability to move with decision, parents must make a contingency plan for awakening them in family drills and in a fire emergency.

Important: Children aren't the only ones who sleep through smoke alarms. Research shows that teenagers and even adults can tune out the loud sound while they sleep. Additionally, people with hearing impairments may not be able to hear conventional alarms; special smoke alarms with strobes and/or vibration are available for purchase online and through local fire equipment distributors. Make sure everyone in your family is protected by the early warning that smoke alarms provide.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Heat detectors are best for attics where the temperature can be extremely high and near the furnace or boiler.

Make sure there is a smoke detector IN every bedroom. If a fire starts in a bedroom where someone is sleeping and the bedroom door is closed the smoke detector is in the hallway outside will do no good, whatsoever!! Install about 3 feet in from doorway in EACH bedroom.

Choose an installation location that is well away from the path of steam from bathrooms and cooking vapors from the kitchen, which can result in false, or nuisance alarms.

Put new batteries in your smoke alarms twice each year, when springing forward and falling back.


Blocked Lint in the Clothes Dryer
When is the last time you cleaned out your clothes dryer vent hose? You're probably asking, "what and huh?" You should never, ever leave your clothes dryer running when away from the house. Vacuum underneath and behind dryer at least once per year to get rid of any lint.
Clean the vent hose annually. If it's an old white plastic vent hose replace it immediately with a foil or tin one. Available for just a few dollars at Home Depot!
Keep fire extinguishers around the house; kitchen, basement, laundry area, hallway by bedrooms.

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