The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) observed Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 3 to 9. The NFPA has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for 99 years. The campaign works to better educate the public about the sounds smoke alarms make, from beeps to chirps, as well as what those sounds mean and how to respond to them.
This year's theme, "Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety," aimed to help people better understand the reasons smoke alarms may sound and how to effectively address them, helping to ensure that smoke alarms remain in working order. The campaign also addressed special considerations for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, along with information about carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.
"Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety" offered several key messages. When a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm sounds, people should respond immediately by exiting the home as quickly as possible. If an alarm begins to chirp, it may mean that the batteries are running low and need to be replaced. If the alarm continues to chirp after the batteries are replaced, or the alarm is more than 10 years old, it is time to replace the alarm.
All smoke and CO alarms should be tested monthly. To test, the test button should be pressed to make sure the alarm is working. The most common factors when smoke alarms fail to operate are missing or non-functional power sources, including missing or disconnected batteries, dead batteries, and disconnected hardwired alarms or other alternate current power issues, according to the NFPA.
If there is someone in a household who is deaf or hard of hearing, bed shaker and strobe light alarms that will alert that person to fire should be installed.
Individuals should know the difference between the sound of a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm. Smoke alarms will sound three beeps, and carbon monoxide alarms will sound four beeps.
For more information about Fire Prevention Week, visit http://www.fpw.org.
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