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Fire Facts
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Did you know?
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- Over 40 percent of accidental fire victims are asleep at the time of the fire
- 85 percent of fire fatalities occur in residential fires
- In a full two-thirds of these fires, smoke alarms are missing or not working
- Children under the age of 5 and the population over the age of 54 are at the greatest risk of death in fires
- The risk of fire injury is highest for the 20-44 and the 85+ age ranges
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How many smoke detectors do I need?
According to the Household Fire Warning Equipment Standard (NFPA74), minimum protection requires smoke detectors outside each bedroom and on each additional level of the house - including the basement.
For extra protection, the NFPA recommends that you also install detectors inside each bedroom, in the dining room, furnace room, utility room and hallways. If your family sleeps with the bedroom doors closed, it is especially important to install detectors inside the bedrooms. Also, some detectors are not recommended for areas where extremes of temperature or humidity might affect their operation.
How do smoke detectors work?
Smoke detectors work by sensing the rising smoke from a fire and sounding an alarm. They can detect smoke far from the origin of the fire. Detectors are most valuable at night, alerting family members to the presence of fire when they are asleep.
The most common, the Photo-Electric Detector, contains a light source and a special photosensitive cell in a darkened chamber. The cell and light are positioned within the detector so that either the light beam is interrupted by the smoke as in the obscuration type or the beam is deflected into the cell as in the light scattering type.
Should smoke detectors be monitored?
Smoke detectors can be localized or monitored. Localized smoke detectors are the types that you generally buy in the hardware store. Should a localized smoke detector be activated, it will make a loud sound in your house, but nobody else will be notified. Monitored smoke detectors are wired through an alarm panel and will notify the central monitoring station when they are activated.
Monitored smoke detectors are always a safer bet. Should someone in your home be incapacitated or in a deep sleep, a monitored system will summon help for you and your family, potentially saving lives. Should nobody be at home when a fire breaks out, a monitored system will alert the fire department in a timely manner, likely reducing the damage that the fire could cause.
Do I need fire extinguishers?
When used properly, a fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the Fire Department arrives. It is very important to use the right type of fire extinguisher when putting out a small fire.
A 5 lb. ABC Multi-Purpose extinguisher is the recommended size and type for home use. If you choose to place more than one extinguisher in your home, a BC extinguisher is recommended for the kitchen, an A extinguisher for the living room and an ABC extinguisher for the basement and garage. Read the operating instructions carefully with all family members so everyone will be ready during an emergency.
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