Lemont Firefighters: Don't Forget To Switch Out Your Smoke Alarm

LEMONT, IL—Did you know that smoke alarms have an expiration date? The Lemont Fire Destrict is sending a friendly reminder to residents to test them once every month and replace them every 10 years.

Smoke alarms provide an early warning of a fire, giving people additional escape time.

According to the National Fire Protection Services, in fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, more than two of every five (43 percent) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries. Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25 percent) of the smoke alarm failures.

Smoke Alarm Safety Tips

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom. They should also be outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Install alarms in the basement.
• Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.
• It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms.
• When one smoke alarm sounds, they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.
• Current alarms on the market employ different types of technology including multi-sensing, which could include smoke and carbon monoxide combined.
• Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms.
• A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove.
• People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.

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