Fire Prevention Week October 7-13 2012. Some home safety tips for you.

Fire Prevention week is October 7 – 13, 2012

O’Connor & Co. Insurance would like to pass on these safety tips to you. Fire prevention is the best insurance to you and your families safety. Below is a list of fire safety tips and proper installation and maintenance of smoke alarms.

  • Make sure you install smoke alarms in every bedroom, best location for these are outside or each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Make sure the smoke alarms interconnect throughout the property. If one alarm sounds off, they all go off.
  • For the best protection, both types of alarms or a combination alarm (photoelectric and ionization) should be installed in homes. An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires, and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires.
  • Make it a habit to test each alarm at least monthy by using the test button.
  • Remember smoke rises; follow the manufacturer’s instructions and install smoke alarms high on a wall or on a ceiling.
  • If the alarm “chirps”, that is a warnign that the battery is low, replace it right away. It is best to replace the batteries once a year.
  • Smoke alarms do not last forever and it is suggested to replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 year old or sooner if they do not respond properly.
  • Be sure the smoke alarm has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
  • Alarms that are hard-wired (and include battery backup) must be installed by a qualified electrician.
  • If cooking fumes or steam sets off nuisance alarms, replace the alarm with an alarm that has a “hush” button. A “hush” button will reduce the alarm’s sensitivity for a short period of time.
  • An ionization alarm with a hush button or a photoelectric alarm should be used if the alarm is within 20 feet of a cooking appliance.
  • Smoke alarms that include a recordable voice announcement in addition to the usual alarm sound, may be helpful in waking children through the use of a familiar voice.
  • Smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices use strobe lights. Vibration devices can be added to these alarms
  • Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan.

information provided by The National Fire Protection Association

Watch a video on Fire Prevention

Video Source: Insurance Information Institute – http://www.iii.org.

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