Smoke Alarms important part of home fire escape plan

Realizing that smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan, and that smoke alarms save lives, the City of Rolla Fire & Rescue Department is promoting fire safety during the month of May.

Did you realize that almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms? When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. Please follow these easy to remember tips regarding the importance of smoke alarms:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button
• Smoke rises; so install smoke alarms high on a wall or on a ceiling
• Replace batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year. If an alarm “chirps”, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away
• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly
• Smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices use strobe lights.

For more information, please visit the National Fire Protection Association Website at www.nfpa.org.