The fire safety tips and information and Kidde Smoke alarm giveaway within this post are being sponsored by Kidde. While the statistics and information about the new Maryland law specifically apply to Maryland residents, the information is relevant to everyone, and as always, opinions are my own.
Do you…
- Live in a home that uses battery-powered smoke alarms?
- Ever forget to replace the batteries in your smoke alarm?
- Have smoke alarms installed only in hallways and not in every bedroom?
- Know the last time you replaced your smoke alarm? Was it more than 10 years ago?
- Plan to renovate your home or move to a new residence?
New Maryland law about Smoke Alarms:
As of July 1, 2013, homeowners in Maryland with battery-powered smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old must update to long-life sealed-in battery smoke alarms. Also, homes will be required to install smoke alarms in all sleeping areas.
Although it may not be a law in other states, the importance of installing smoke alarms in homes is important everywhere. Take a look at the statistics:
The need for long-life sealed-in battery smoke alarms:
- Two-thirds of all home fire deaths in America occur in homes with either no smoke alarm or no working alarm, mainly due to missing or disconnected batteries.
- In Maryland, 39 home fire fatalities have been reported from January to June, 2013.
- In 2012, nearly half (46%) of Maryland fire fatalities occurred in homes without smoke alarms or with inoperable alarms.
- Approximately 800,000 Maryland residences rely on battery-powered smoke alarms.
- 60% of U.S. homeowners have left a smoke alarm without a working battery.
- Fire experts recommend installing smoke alarms on each floor and in sleeping areas. Three out of four homeowners don’t know the proper locations for installation.
- Fire experts recommend replacing smoke alarms every 10 years. Industry surveys show one in four homes – those built prior to 2002 – have never replaced their alarms.
- After 10 years, a smoke alarm’s efficiency may be compromised with accumulated dust, insects, airborne contaminants and aging electrical circuitry.
“We know that fire safety isn’t at the top of everyone’s minds, yet someone dies in a home fire every three hours in America. We’re proud to help Maryland fire officials spread the word and remind families that a simple step like installing a smoke alarm could save lives,” said Chris Rovenstine, vice president, sales and marketing, Kidde.
Ten-year sealed-in battery smoke alarms, such as Kidde’s Worry-Free line, are available at home improvement retailers and cost between $25 and $50. With no need to replace batteries, consumers will save about $40 in battery costs over the life of one alarm.
Home Fire Safety Tips and Why You Should Act Today
You can keep your family safe by following a few simple steps:
- Install smoke alarms on all levels of your home and ensure that they are working properly.
- Establish a family fire escape plan and talk to your kids about it regularly. Make sure that everyone in the family knows that if there is a fire, they need to get out and stay out – and fast!
- Teach kids that fire is a tool not a toy – and store all matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
- Check appliances and cords regularly and watch for overheating, unusual smells, shorts or sparks – and unplug appliances when not in use.
Important to keep in mind:
- Most fatal fires happen in homes where the alarm either didn’t operate (because of old batteries) or wasn’t present. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends installing smoke alarms on each floor and in sleeping areas, yet three out of four U.S. homeowners don’t know where to place them.
- On average, you have less than three minutes from the sound of the first smoke alarm to escape. The sooner you hear an alarm, the more time you have to respond.
- The NFPA recommends replacing all smoke alarms every 10 years. Aging smoke alarms may not operate efficiently and often are the source for nuisance alarms. Surveys show 20% of alarms in older homes have never been replaced. Have yours?
Benefits of Worry Free Smoke Alarms
- It’s Always On: 24 hr/day, 7 day/week protection from smoke and fire
- Decade of protection: sealed lithium battery provides 10 years of continuous power
- Maintenance-free, hassle-free: never replace a battery during the alarm’s operating life and no need to worry about the batteries being removed
- Goodbye late night low battery chirps: an end-of-life chirp tells you when it’s time to replace the alarm
- Location-based attributes make it simple to select the right alarm for the right location in your home
- Money savings: no batteries to buy and replace every six months, save up to $40 over the life of the alarm
- Quick and easy installation: simply twist the alarm onto the mounting bracket and it activates
Enter to win a Kidde Worry-Free Smoke Alarm:
One Better in Bulk reader will win a Kidde Worry-Free Smoke Alarm (US residents only). Enter on the Rafflecopter form below before July 31. Winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!
Connect with Kidde:
Website: www.kidde.com
Twitter: @Kiddesafety
Facebook: Facebook.com/Kidde
Fire truck picture from RGBstock (home of great free stock photos).
© 2013, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Fire experts recommend replacing smoke alarms every 10 years. Hummm, I rent this house and I just realized these look older. I never thought about replacing old ones.
Smoke alarms are definitely a great start in home fire safety planning. Alarms will hopefully get everyone awake and alert, but families also need to practice an escape plan to get out of the house, and where fire extinguishers are in case you need one to extinguish a small fire, or use it to get outside. I also recommend combination alarms (smoke & carbon monoxide) with a voice alert as those will address the two most common concerns, and the voice alert has been shown to get kids awake faster than the common “beep”.
We have a fairly small house but we still have a fire alarm in almost every room and we have three different escape plans in place just in case we are in different areas of the house. We also make sure there is nothing left plugged up when we leave the house or when we go to bed that may catch on fire.
Set reminders to replace batteries in smoke alarms.
My tip is to have a couple of small fire extinguishers and know how to use them.
Have a plan! Communicate with the family before an event happens
NeVER TAKE OUT BATTERIES
I think it’s time to update our smoke alarms!
When you change the clocks change your smoke detector batteries.
I learned to install fire alarms on all floors.