FIRE SAFETY
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IS OCTOBER,
9TH - 15TH, 2005
Call the fire dept. for any programs
(660-542-2178)
Constantly striving to educate our
citizens in fire prevention we have developed this informational page
on Smoke Alarms. Although a very minor expense, their worth
cannot be measure in dollars when fire strikes your home. Below
you will find fact and tips in regard to household smoke
alarms. The Carrollton Fire Department has also established
a smoke detector placement program. This program provides
disadvantaged citizens to receive a smoke alarm free of charge from our
department as well as have us install it, free of charge. Please
call the dept. at 660-542-2178 to request a smoke detector.
A representative of our department will be happy to help you. Always
remember WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES.
Facts & Figures*
- 15 of every 16 homes (94%) in the U.S. have at least
one smoke alarm.
- One-half of home fire deaths occur in the 6% of homes
with no smoke alarms.
- Homes with smoke alarms (whether or not they are
operational) typically have a death rate that is 40-50% less than the
rate for homes without alarms.
- In three of every 10 reported fires in homes equipped
with smoke alarms, the devices did not work. Households with
non-working smoke alarms now outnumber those with no smoke
alarms.
From NFPA's "U.S.
Experience with Smoke Alarms and Other Fire Alarms
Safety Tips:
- While
smoke alarms alert people to fires, families still need to develop and
practice home fire
escape plans so that
they can get out quickly.
- Install
at least one smoke alarm on every floor of your home (including the
basement) and outside each sleeping area. If you sleep with the door
closed, NFPA recommends installing smoke alarms inside
the room. In new homes, smoke alarms are required in all sleeping
rooms, according to 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 from the ceiling;
ceiling-mounted alarms should be positioned 4 inches away from the
nearest wall. On vaulted ceilings, be sure to mount the alarm at the
highest point of the ceiling.
- Smoke
alarms 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
with louder alarm signals and/or strobe lights to alert them to a fire.
- Be sure
that the smoke alarm you buy carries the label of an independent
testing lab. For a list of manufacturers that distribute smoke alarms
for the hearing impaired, please call NFPA´s Center for High-Risk
Outreach at +1 617 984-7826.
- Alarms
that are hard-wired to the home's electrical system should be installed
by a qualified electrician.