According to the National Fire Protection Association:

• A 2004 telephone survey found that 96% of U.S. households had at least one smoke alarm, yet in 2000-2004, no smoke alarms were present, or none operated, in almost half (46%) of reported home fires.

• An estimated 890 lives could be saved each year if all homes had working smoke alarms.

• 65% of reported home fire deaths in 2000-2004 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms.

“The most important thing you need to know”, says Polk County Fire District No.1 Fire Marshal Jeff Donahue, “is that working smoke alarms save lives and they should be in every home. Smoke alarms along with a home fire escape plan greatly increase your chance of surviving a fire incident in your home.”

NFPA and Polk County Fire District No.1 offer the following smoke alarm safety tips:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.

• Test smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.

• Smoke rises; install smoke alarms following manufacture’s instructions high on a wall or on a ceiling. Save manufacture’s instructions for testing and maintenance.

• If a smoke alarm “chirps” warning that the battery is low, replace the battery right away. Also, remember the saying “Change your clock, change your battery”.

• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly.

• If you are renting a home or apartment, Oregon Revised Statute requires the owner to provide a working smoke alarm and maintain it if notified by the tenant.

It should be noted that, thanks to newer technology, a number of steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood of “nuisance” smoke alarm activations, including hush features and refinements to installation rules that include guidance on safe distances from sources in the home that cause the “nuisance” alarms. Also, there are smoke alarms for the hearing impaired and alarms that include a recordable voice announcement which may be helpful in waking children.

Polk County Fire District No 1 provides free assistance related to checking home smoke alarms, changing batteries, and, on a limited basis, providing smoke alarms to our elderly and low income District residents.