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A
working smoke alarm can detect a small fire and provide crucial minutes
necessary to prevent a tragedy from occurring in your home.
Approximately 90% of all homes have at least one smoke alarm.
However, surveys show that 20% do not work because the battery is either
dead or missing.
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Fire deaths are most common in the age groups of
0-5 and 65+
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Nationwide there is a fire death every 130 minutes.
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Careless smoking is the number one cause of fire deaths.
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Most home fires occur during the sleeping hours – between the hours of
11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
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One or more smoke alarms can double your family’s safety.
Smoke
alarms and heat detectors come in a variety of styles and brands.
Popular types of smoke alarms include the following:
IONIZATION:
respond best to quick-burning fires from paper and wood. The alarm goes off when the sensor becomes blocked by smoke
particles.
PHOTOELECTRIC:
respond to slow-burning fires such as smoldering mattresses and
upholstery. The alarm goes off when
smoke particles break a light beam. These
alarms are much less likely to set off a false alarm.
HEAT
DETECTORS: may be used as additional protection in basements, attics,
and garages, where smoke detection may be delayed.
Select
A Smoke Alarm That Has A:
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Loud
and distinctive alarm
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Replaceable
bulb and battery
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Low
battery indicator
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Long-term
warranty
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UL
label (Underwriter’s Laboratory) or equivalent testing label
Three
Ways To run smoke alarms:
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Battery-operated:
the most common type runs on normal 9-volt batteries.
Read the directions that come with the detector for proper placement
or call the fire department for advice.
The fire department is located at 8 E. 2nd Street of you
can call 431-5236.
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Hard
wire: permanently wired into
home’s electrical system with a battery back up.
A qualified electrician should install these detectors.
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Plug-in:
connected directly to an outlet.
Make sure the outlet is not on a wall switch that would allow it to
be accidentally turned off. Be
sure the plug-in has a restraining device to keep it from being accidentally
disconnected.
Placement
Having
more than one smoke alarm that works doubles your family’s safety.
You should:
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Place a smoke alarm on each level of your home, near bedrooms, and in the
basement.
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Place the smoke alarm near the top of an open stairway (without doors),
and near the base of a closed stairway (with doors).
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Try to avoid installing alarms near the kitchen, bath, outside door, or
fireplace. Steam, drafts, or heat may cause a false alarm.
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Follow all of the smoke alarm’s recommended installation procedures.
Call your local fire department if you have any questions.
Maintenance
Occasional
maintenance is necessary to keep your smoke alarm working.
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Vacuum the alarm to remove any sensor-blocking dust particles.
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Never borrow batteries from your smoke alarm to use in other devices.
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Check outlets on plug-in models.
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Never paint a smoke alarm.
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Test smoke alarm monthly.
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Replace batteries on two important dates each year (holiday, birthday,
spring, fall). We strongly urge
people to change their batteries when they change their clocks to or from
daylight saving time.
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Replace all smoke alarms every ten years.
Your
Family Needs Your Help to Stay Safe!
By
properly installing and maintaining a smoke alarm you can prevent a tragedy from
occurring in your home.
Smoke
alarms are on guard and protecting your family 24 hours a day.
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Between
1993 and 1997 an average of 4,500 Americans died each year as a result of
fire.
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People
are not typically awakened by the smell of smoke.
Toxic fumes deepen sleep.
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People
who die from home fires die more often from toxic
fumes than fire burns.
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From
the time a fire starts, people have only 4 minutes to reach safety.
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