Working smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a fire. That’s the message behind this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!”
We are excited to announce that Fire Prevention Week starts on October 5-11. The Gallup Fire Department along with advocates nationwide will be joining forces with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to remind local residents about the importance of having smoke alarms in the home and testing them monthly.
According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
If you’re like many people you may not remember the last time you tested the alarms in your home? According to NFPA most fires resulting in death occur when most people are asleep at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out. Every second counts!
This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. This way, when one sounds, they all do.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.
The Gallup Fire Department will be hosting activities at local elementary schools during Fire Prevention Week to promote “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives!”
To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities, please contact the Gallup Fire Department at 505-722-4195. To learn more about smoke alarms and “Working Smoke Alarms Saves Lives”, visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org.