Make sure it works: your smoke alarm can save your life.

Fire Prevention Week is coming up, and this year Fire Prevention Canada and the Canada Safety Council are reminding us that every home should be protected with working smoke alarms. Many fire fatalities occur at night, when people are sleeping and fail to notice smoke as an indication of fire in their home. If there is no alarm to wake them, they will literally never know what hit them. One of the great frustrations of firefighters everywhere is to see home smoke alarms disarmed or removed from their ceiling anchors. As the Canada Safety Council says, “A dead unit is worse than none at all — it can give you a false sense of security.” Whether your home smoke alarms are powered by batteries or your home’s electrical system, make sure they are updated every 10 years, tested monthly, and outfitted with fresh batteries on a yearly basis.

WHY IS MY SMOKE ALARM SO FUSSY?

Fire Prevention Canada says that disarming an alarm is a mistake that can cost lives. There are other options that won’t put your family’s lives in danger. If making toast or taking a shower sets off your alarm regularly, try moving the detector to a spot just outside the kitchen or bathroom. Ionization alarms are especially responsive to fastburning materials, such as burning fat, newspaper, and paint. This type is generally cheaper and it is also the kind most often disarmed because of nuisance false alarms. Try installing a better quality photoelectric alarm. Contact your local fire department to arrange a visit from a fire prevention officer who will show you the best spots for your home’s smoke detectors.