FASNY urges residents to replace smoke alarms every 10 years

ALBANY — The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York is asking people “Don’t wait — check the date!”

This year’s annual Fire Prevention Week is set for Oct. 9 to 15. FASNY is promoting the importance of replacing smoke alarms every 10 years.

“Functioning smoke alarms reduce by half the risk of dying in a home fire, so it is extremely important to make sure they’re working properly”, said FASNY President Kenneth Pienkowski in a news release.

Families using a 10-year smoke alarm in the home can remove a potentially high-danger component of human error affecting the reliability of alarms.

Statistics show that 60 percent of U.S. home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working alarms. Homes with battery-disabled smoke alarms or alarms that have outlasted their full functionality put people at increased risk.

Starting Jan. 1 the sale of smoke-detecting devices powered by removable, replaceable batteries will be prohibited statewide. Instead, retailers will be able to sell only smoke-detecting devices with a power source that isn’t removable and lasts at least a decade.

Increased availability of extended-life batteries and new tamper-resistant smoke detectors is expected to help individuals and families better protect themselves and their loved ones.

Existing devices already in homes will be allowed to remain there until they stop functioning, and smoke detectors with replaceable batteries will continue to be on sale in the state throughout 2016.

State law requires all homes and businesses to have working smoke detectors. Smoke detectors with a 10-year lifespan are already on the market; most are powered by lithium batteries, not a traditional 9-volt.

FASNY, along with the approximately 110,000 volunteer firefighters in New York State and safety advocates nationwide are joining forces during Fire Prevention Week, to remind residents to take the following precautions:

Smoke alarms — replace every 10 years.

A smoke alarm’s age can be determined by looking on the back or side of the smoke alarm, where the date of manufacture can be found.

Alarms should be replaced 10 years from that date. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old, or sooner if they don’t respond properly.

Batteries — Test monthly, replace yearly

Smoke alarms should be tested monthly, and batteries should be replaced when they begin to chirp, signaling that they’re running low.

Two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes with no, or non-functioning, smoke alarms

Have at least one smoke alarm on every floor, including the basement and in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area.

Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.