The National Fire Protection Association estimates more than 94 percent of North American homes have at least one smoke alarm.

But, Consider these startling facts:

• Thirty-eight percent of all home fires and fifty-one percent of fire deaths occur in homes with no alarms.
• Your chances of dying in a home fire are cut in half if you have a working smoke alarm.
• There are more homes with smoke alarms that don't work, than homes without any alarms. These poorly maintained units create a false sense of security for residents.

No Doubt About It: Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives.
By properly selecting, placing, testing and maintaining your smoke alarm, you will greatly increase your chances of surviving a home fire.

Alarm Selection
When you go to the store, you'll find there are many different types of alarms on the market. There are standard battery-operated alarms, 10-year battery-operated alarms, and others that operate on electricity.

There are also special alarms for people with hearing impairments. These have both an audible alarm and intense flashing lights.

No matter what type of alarm you purchase, make sure it is listed or approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Factory Mutual (FM) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

One? Two? Three? More?
NFPA National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72)* should be followed. The code requires a minimum of one smoke alarm on every level and outside each sleeping area.

In new construction, the code requires hard-wired smoke alarms to be interconnected. This means that if one smoke alarm is activated, all alarms will sound. New construction also requires a hardwired smoke alarm be installed in each bedroom.

*This code does not apply in Canada.

Put 'em Up -- Installing a smoke alarm is simple.
A screwdriver and a drill are all you need to install a battery-operated alarm. Other alarms can also be hardwired directly into your home's electrical system. Hard-wire installation should be done by a qualified electrician. Be sure to never connect an alarm to a circuit that can be turned off by a wall switch.

Always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions.

• Wall-mounted alarms should be installed so the top is 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) from the ceiling.
• Ceiling-mounted units should be installed at least 6 inches (15 cm) from any wall.
• If a room has a pitched ceiling, mount the alarm at or near the ceiling's highest point.
• In stairways with no doors at the top or bottom, position alarms in the path smoke would follow up the stairwell.
• Mount alarms at the bottom of closed stairways, such as those leading to a basement. Dead air trapped near the door at the top of a stairway could prevent smoke from reaching an alarm located at the top.
• Don't install an alarm too close to windows, doors or forced-air registers, where drafts could interfere with the detector's operation.
• If you have questions about the best places to install alarms, contact your local fire department for advice. Many departments will conduct home smoke alarm inspections for free or for a nominal fee.

Don't Shirk the Work
Only properly functioning smoke alarms can protect you. Make regular maintenance a priority:

Standard Batteries
Batteries weaken with age and must be regularly checked and replaced (generally once a year). NEVER disable an alarm by "borrowing" its battery for another use.

Testing
Test your smoke alarms at least once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions. Both battery-operated and electric smoke alarms become less sensitive with age. The NFPA recommends smoke alarm replacement every ten years. If your alarm does not respond to the recommended test procedure (usually pressing a "test" button), change its batteries. If it still does not respond, replace it.

Cleaning
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning your smoke alarms. Debris and dust can generally be removed by using a vacuum cleaner attachment. Never paint any part of a smoke alarm.

Plan an Escape
Once your smoke alarms are up and running, make sure everyone in the household is familiar with the sound of the alarms.

Plan and review escape routes. Have at least two ways to get out of every room. Agree on a meeting place outside where everyone can gather after they escape. Practice your escape.

Remember, when an alarm sounds, get out and stay out. Never return to a burning building.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors   (From State Farm Insurance Company)

Each year, more than 10,000 Americans are temporarily or permanently disabled by accidental exposure to carbon monoxide (CO).

Between 1992 and 1996, the number of non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with use of consumer products averaged about 213 per year. The total number of accidental non-fire CO poisoning deaths, including both deaths associated with consumer products and deaths associated with motor vehicle exhaust, averaged annually about 544 between 1992 and 1996. The CO poisoning deaths attributed to motor vehicle exhaust accounted for about 60% of all accidental non-fire CO poisoning deaths. The remaining 40% of deaths were associated with consumer products. Most of the non-fire consumer product-related CO poisoning deaths were associated with the use of heating systems.¹

Other consumer products associated with these poisoning deaths included charcoal grills, gas water heaters, camping equipment, gas ranges and ovens. On average, between 1994 and 1998, approximately 10,600 people were treated each year in hospital emergency rooms for non-fire CO poisoning injuries associated with consumer products, excluding incidents involving auto exhaust.

Of the estimated incidents of CO poisoning attributed to consumer products from 1992 to 1996: 

• 74 percent were attributed to heating systems
• 10 percent to charcoal grills
• 3 percent to gas water heaters
• 5 percent to camp stoves/lanterns
• 4 percent to gas ranges/ovens
• 3 percent to other appliances.²

Of the estimated non-fire CO poisoning deaths from 1992 to 1996:

• 4 percent of the victims were under 5 years old
• 5 percent were between 5-14 years old
• 19 percent were between 15-24 years old
• 27 percent were between 25-44 years old
• 23 percent were between 45-64 years old
• 22 percent were 65 and over.³

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and its Effects
CO is a clear, odorless gas that is a by-product of combustion of fuels like natural gas, liquid propane (LP), coal, oil and wood. It is poisonous to humans and pets.

There are no perceptible symptoms if an individual's CO levels are less than 10 percent. At 10 percent levels, an individual may experience symptoms that mimic the flu or a cold such as headache, fatigue, difficulty in thinking straight, irregular breathing and heartbeat, nausea or coughing. The victim may appear pale, but develop cherry red color on the lips and ear tips. Take note especially if everyone in the home is experiencing at least some of the symptoms, and pay particular attention if pets exhibit symptoms since animals cannot get the flu.

At levels greater than 20 percent, a person can lose consciousness, go into a coma, or die.

If CO poisoning is suspected, call 911 from a neighbor's house and get everyone into the fresh air immediately. Report it to the fire department even if everyone is feeling better.

According to a study by the University of Connecticut Medical Center and Hartford Hospital, there is also a connection between extended low-level CO exposure and brain damage. Neuro-psychological problems, such as short-term memory loss and behavioral changes were found in patients exposed to low levels. The study could not determine how long one would have to be exposed to low levels of CO before damage occurs. Most patients are unaware that they are being exposed. The study also seemed to indicate the damage was equally serious for all ages.

What can cause carbon monoxide poisoning?
Defective furnaces, fireplace flues, and oil heaters have long been the primary cause of accidental CO poisoning. This winter, the average furnace will turn on and off nearly 9,000 times. When equipment works this hard, annual maintenance by a qualified contractor is the best way to keep heating and venting systems running safely and efficiently. In addition to an annual inspection, follow these tips to check for safety:

• Check the furnace flame. Flames should be mostly blue and steady.
• Look for buildup. Discoloration or soot buildup around the burner access door and vents could signal a problem.
• Check the venting system. Soft, rusted or broken vent piping can release combustion products indoors.
• Examine the furnace or boiler. See that it's free of dust, rust, or any other signs of corrosion.
• Check air filters regularly. Clean or replace them as needed.
• Make sure furnace panels and grill are in place and the fan compartment door is closed when the furnace is on. Leaving these doors open could cause CO to build up in living areas.

These checks do not replace the need for an annual checkup of the heating system before the start of the heating months. To protect your family against accidental CO poisoning, make sure the furnace and appliances receive annual checks by a qualified gas appliance or heating contractor.

In addition, gas appliances, including stoves, clothes dryers, water heaters, and gas furnaces, are sources of CO. For gas appliances, CO is vented out of the house. However, sometimes the vent system is not installed correctly or does not work properly, forcing CO back into the house.

Automobiles also are a CO source. For automobiles, the CO from the exhaust can be controlled from entering living spaces by lowering the garage floor below the main floor of the house and placing vent holes at the bottom of the exterior garage walls for the CO gas to escape. In many states, this is required by code.

Installation of Carbon Monoxide Detectors
It is a good idea to have CO detectors/alarms in your house. CO weighs about the same as air, so detectors can be mounted at any height. In the State Farm Good Neighbor House®, we do not have gas-burning appliances, but installed a CO detector in the laundry room for demonstration purposes. This alarm is interconnected to the smoke alarm system so if the CO detector/alarm senses a problem, it will sound along with all of the smoke alarms in the house. Having an interconnected system betters the chance of hearing the alarm even if far away from the detector that sensed the problem.

Install a CO detector on each level of your home, and in or near each sleeping area. Try to keep the detectors at least 20 feet from any fuel burning appliances and at least 10 feet from high humidity locations like bathrooms and kitchens. If an alarm sounds, call a professional to check your gas burning appliances.

Testing Your Carbon Monoxide Detector/Alarm
One can determine if a CO detector/alarm is working by using special CO alarm testing devices. These devices simulate CO using a small pellet in a package. When the pellet is moistened, it releases a non-toxic gas. After a few minutes, if the alarm is properly working, the alarm should sound. For more information about these testing devices, check with your local hardware store.

¹"Estimates of Non-fire CO Poisoning Deaths and Injuries"; Executive Summary; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; June 1999
²"Estimates of Non-fire CO Poisoning Deaths and Injuries"; Table 1; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; June 1999
³ "Estimates of Non-fire CO Poisoning Deaths and Injuries"; Table 2; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; June 1999

Stop - Drop - Roll   (From the Virginia Department of Fire Programs)

9-1-1   (Core info from Fairfax County F&R)

ABC's   (From the NFPA)

Get out fast when you hear an Alarm because Big fires start small. Once you're out, Call the fire department. Smoke Detectors will warn your family to Escape. On your way out, Feel the doors before you open them. Get out and stay out! Don't ever Hide! Don't ever stay Inside! Join Sparky's Fire Prevention Team, and Keep Lighters and Matches out of children's hands. Never play with them. Organize your family and make a Plan to get out of your home Quickly. If your clothes catch on fire, Roll, don't run. Stop, drop, and roll. Always know Two ways out and crawl Under smoke. Volunteer to learn these things and we will Win! Check for eXit signs in public places. It's up to You, and it's up to me, fire safety is as e-Z as ABC!