FASNY Reminds Residents:
Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries!
October 31,2008
Recent Study by National Fire Protection Association and Red Cross Shows Economic Concerns May Lead to More Home Fires
(NEW YORK) – This year, Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 2nd – a good time to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors throughout their homes, says the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York. FASNY also reminds homeowners and renters to test and maintain those detectors to make sure that they are functioning properly.
FASNY also pointed to a recent survey by the National Fire Protection Association and the American Red Cross, which showed that during these tough economic times, homeowners are turning to alternative sources to heat their homes – and unwittingly increasing the risk of home fire hazards during the cold winter months.
“It is critically important that homeowners and renters have working smoke detectors installed in their homes – it’s the simplest thing people can do to help save their lives in a house fire,” said FASNY president Thomas J. Cuff. “This becomes especially important if, as a recent study says, more and more Americans will turn to less safe methods of heating their homes in the coming winter months. We want homeowners to remain vigilant about fire safety and fire prevention, even during these tough economic times. Installing and maintaining working smoke alarms is a good way to start, and the end of Daylight Saving Time is a good reminder.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments responded to 399,000 house fires in 2007. These fires caused 2,865 civilian deaths and 13,600 civilian injuries, as well as $7.4 billion in direct damage. Almost two-thirds (65%) of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
FASNY president Cuff added, “Having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home is important, but just as important is having a home fire escape plan. This way, if fire does break out in any part of your home, you and family members know the quickest escape route and the best place to meet up once outside the house.”
NFPA tips for keeping smoke alarms/detectors working properly:
- Test smoke alarms/detectors at least once a month by using the alarm's "test button". Do NOT use an open flame.
- Clean the units by vacuuming or dusting in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
- Use the beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time to install new batteries in all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors OR when the alarm chirps (warning that the battery is dying). Do NOT disable the “chirping” feature by removing batteries. The sound may be a nuisance, but IT IS THERE FOR A REASON.
- Keep batteries in smoke alarms/detectors; do not remove them for other purposes. Nuisance activations can be addressed by moving a smoke alarm/detector farther away from kitchen smoke or bathroom steam and by more frequent cleaning. If the problem persists, replace the unit.
- Don’t paint over smoke alarms and detectors.
- If you’ve just moved in to a new home or apartment, consider swapping out the existing smoke detectors, especially if you are not sure how old they are. A good tip: smoke detectors tend to “yellow” with age, so look for this when checking out existing smoke alarms.
NFPA tips for installing smoke alarms/detectors:
- Install at least one smoke alarm on every floor of your home (including the basement) and in or near each sleeping area. If you sleep with the door closed, NFPA recommends installing smoke alarms/detectors inside the room. In new homes, smoke alarms/ detectors are required in all sleeping rooms, per the National Fire Alarm Code.
- Because smoke rises, alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings; wall-mounted alarms should be positioned 4-12 inches away from the ceiling.
- Ceiling-mounted alarms should be positioned 4 inches away from the nearest wall; on vaulted (“cathedral”) ceilings, be sure to mount the alarm at the highest point of the ceiling.
- Smoke alarms/detectors should not be installed near a window, door or forced-air register where drafts could interfere with their operation.
- NFPA recommends that people with hearing impairments install smoke alarms/ detectors with louder alarm signals and/or strobe lights to alert them to a fire. For a list of manufacturers that distribute smoke alarms/detectors for the hearing impaired, please call NFPA´s Center for High-Risk Outreach at 617-984-7826.
- ONLY purchase smoke alarms/detectors with the UL label.
- Smoke alarms/detectors that are hard-wired to the home's electrical system should be installed by a qualified electrician.
For more information on smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and other information on fire safety and prevention – including how to develop your own home fire escape plan, visit www.nfpa.org. You can also visit http://www.nfpa.org/newsReleaseDetails.asp?categoryID=488&itemID=40748 to see results from the NFPA/American Red Cross survey on home fire risks.
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