Smoke Detectors Save Lives
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 01:27PM 
Every year in the United States, about 3,000 people lose their lives in residential fires. Most fire victims die from inhalation of toxic smoke and gases, not as a result of burns. Most deaths occur during the night while victims are sleeping. So, that is why smoke alarms are considered one of the best and least expensive means of providing early warning of potentially deadly fires. In fact, the risk of dying in a residential fire is twice as likely in homes without functioning smoke detectors. The key here is "functioning". You could easily have one or more "non-functioning" units in your home.
That is why the US Consumer Product Safey Commission recommends testing smoke alarms at least once a month to make sure they are operating properly. Make replacing the batteries a seasonal routine when you reset the clocks for Daylight Savings Time to ensure that your alarm is working. As you insert the new battery, take a second to test the alarm. So, next week head your shopping list with "batteries for smoke detector" so that when November 1 rolls around and it is time to reset the clocks, you will have no excuse whatsoever to avoid changing out those batteries. Remember, don't wait for a fire in your home to test your smoke alarm. Do it now!
Kathy Reets - Co-Founder and Owner
