Important Smoke Alarm Information
Facts and figures about smoke alarms
- In 2009-2013, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (53%) of the home fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
- Three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (38%) or no working smoke alarms (21%).
- No smoke alarms were present in almost two out of every five (38%) home fire deaths.
- The death rate per 100 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (1.18 deaths vs. 0.53 deaths per 100 fires).
- In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, almost half (46%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
- Dead batteries caused one-quarter (24%) of the smoke alarm failures.
Source: NFPA's "Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires" report
Home Escape Plan
In addition to having working smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and out of every sleeping area another life saving measure to have in place in case of a fire is a home escape plan.
Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.
Fire moves quickly through the home giving you as little as two minutes to escape. Sleep with your doors closed to help slow fire spread.
Sit down with your family and make a plan. Know two ways out of each bedroom in your house and establish and meeting place. For more information on home escape planning please visit the National Fire Protection Association's website: www.nfpa.org
