SUNDRE – The Sundre Fire Department is helping to bolster the messaging for Fire Prevention Week 2024 by encouraging people to check on their smoke detectors.
The official theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week, which takes place Oct. 6-12, is “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
The National Fire Protection Association selected the theme because the organization’s data continues to indicate that a majority of deaths resulting from structures fires in houses occur in homes either with no smoke alarms or devices that are not properly functioning.
“Smoke alarms are an incredibly under-utilized fire protection equipment,” said Ryan Martens, a captain with the Sundre Fire Department.
“Even when used, oftentimes they are not utilized correctly or maintained properly,” Martens told the Albertan on Oct. 6.
“Smoke detectors should be tested once a month,” he said.
Batteries in battery-operated devices should be replaced annually, while smoke detectors should be replaced after 10 years or when they no longer respond when tested, he said.
The captain also offered a few tips to bear in mind with regards to smoke alarms:
• Minimum of one alarm per level of a structure;
• Detectors should be installed in hallways leading to bedrooms;
• Installed near living areas;
• As fire gases are lighter than oxygen, smoke detectors should be placed close to the ceiling;
• Wall-mounted detectors should be installed 10 to 30 centimetres (four to 12 inches) from the ceiling; and
• Ceiling-mounted detectors should be installed at least 10 cms (four inches) from the nearest wall.
“Smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a home fire, but they have to be working in order to deliver the needed protection,” Lorraine Carli, vice president of the Outreach and Advocacy division at NFPA, was quoted as saying in a statement.
According to the NFPA, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half – 54 per cent. Tragically, approximately three out of five fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or no functional smoke alarms, while more than one-third – 38 per cent – of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
“People tend to remove smoke alarm batteries or dismantle them altogether when they don’t know how to fix the issue. These actions put them at serious risk in the event of a home fire,” said Carli.
Additional advice offered by the NFPA included ensuring that smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
On Monday, Oct. 7, the municipal council unanimously carried a motion proclaiming Oct. 6-12 as Fire Prevention Week in Sundre that also urged residents to “ensure there are working smoke alarms in their homes and businesses, and to support the many public activities and efforts of Sundre’s fire and emergency services.”
Later this month, members of the fire department will on Saturday, Oct. 19 be hosting an open house at the fire hall from 5-7 p.m.
