Protect Your Loved Ones this Fire Prevention Month

Who doesn’t love autumn? Glorious leaves crunching underfoot, crisp air, ripe apples, everything pumpkin spice. It’s arguably the most beautiful time of year — and one with important safety milestones. October is Fire Prevention Month, bringing with it potentially life-saving reminders to check that you have working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms give you and your loved ones the earliest warning possible that there is a fire, so you can get out of your home quickly and safely. Three out of five home fire deaths occur when there are no working smoke alarms.

What type of smoke alarm is best? There are many on the market today, but according to the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes, the best smoke alarm is one that works. Ensuring yours is in top shape means testing it at least twice a year, replacing batteries as needed, and assessing if you have enough units properly placed to warn you and your family if a fire occurs.

With synthetic furnishings filling most homes, fire moves faster today. So it’s more important than ever for households to exercise fire safety measures. Synthetic material burns quickly, reducing escape time to less than three minutes from the time the fire starts. If the fire is caused by or involves a large device with a lithium-ion battery, like an e-bike or e-scooter, escape time can reduce to less than one minute.

Learn where to install and how to test your smoke alarms, and prepare your family with an escape plan in the event of a fire.

How to properly place smoke alarms around your home

Be sure to install smoke alarms:

• In every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home including the basement
• At least 10 feet away from cooking appliances
• High on walls — one foot from the ceiling — or ceilings
• Far from windows, doors or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation

Do not disable smoke alarms

The number one reason people disable smoke alarms is because smoke from cooking sets them off. Newer technology can better distinguish smoke from cooking and smoke from a life-threatening fire. While it is difficult to eliminate all nuisance alarms, the new generation of alarms greatly reduces nuisance alarms due to cooking while still having increased sensitivity and overall performance. Look for smoke alarms with newer technology the next time you need to replace them. And about the chirping that drives your pet crazy — it means you need to change the battery, not disable the alarm.

Test your smoke alarms

Smoke alarms should be replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, which is usually every 10 years, or when they stop working — whichever comes first. If your smoke alarms are more than 10 years old, install new alarms and look for products that are third-party listed or certified.

Test your smoke alarms to ensure they’re still working. To check, find the smoke alarm’s test button and press it. If it's working properly, you’ll hear a very loud beep. If the sound is weak or there isn’t a sound, it’s time to replace your batteries, or the whole device.

Create a fire escape plan

When you get those alarms installed and ensure they’re working properly, sit down and practice a fire escape plan with your family.

• Determine two ways out of every room
• Designate a meeting spot outside the house
• Go over exit scenarios; no two fire situations are the same
• Exit through the closest door, close the door behind you and go to your meeting place. Call 9-1-1.
• If you can’t safely escape through the closest door, you may need to use a back exit or a window.
• If you can’t get out, get behind a closed door and call 9-1-1, telling the dispatcher where you are inside the home.
• Close your bedroom doors. A closed door can be an effective barrier against deadly levels of carbon monoxide, smoke and flames — and may give everyone more time to respond to a smoke alarm. Many smoke alarms today are interconnected, meaning that when one smoke alarm sounds, they all sound. This can help reassure those concerned about hearing their alarm with a closed door.

You’re now ready to test or replace your home’s smoke alarms to ensure they’re working and create an escape plan for your household. For more safety tips, visit smokealarms.ul.org.