Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by 50 percent.

  • Nearly 87 percent of all fire-related deaths are due to home fires, which spread rapidly and can leave families with as little as two minutes to escape once an alarm sounds.
  • Check smoke alarms. Make sure there is a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, in bedrooms and near sleeping areas. Test smoke alarms every month and replace them every 10 years, or when the battery is low.
  • Smoke alarm batteries should be changed every 6 months, unless the system is hard-wired.
  • Create and practice a fire escape plan. The plan should have two ways out of every room. Choose a place to meet outside that is a safe distance away from your home.
  • Practice a home fire drill with your family at least twice a year, ensuring that you can escape in under two minutes. Sometimes that is all the time you will have to get out of your home safely.
  • If there is a fire, leave home immediately. If there is a lot of smoke, get low and crawl out of the house as quickly as possible. Call 911 after you are a safe distance away from your home.

 

Source: Boston Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Program and Safe Kids MA