COLUMBUS — The State Fire Marshal wants people to ensure their smoke alarms are working properly and reminds them to heat their homes safely as cold weather approaches.
Three steps were offered to make sure smoke alarms work:
• Replace batteries;
• Test alarms by pressing the test button. Alarms should be tested at least once a month;
• Replace smoke detectors after 10 years.
“While these alarms may not prevent a fire from happening, they give you critical extra time that can allow you and your loved ones to get out of your home in the event of a fire,” said Fire Prevention Bureau Chief Anita Metheny. “Those additional seconds may very well save your life.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the risk of dying in a home fire is reduced by nearly 60% when there are working smoke alarms in the home.
Smoke alarms should be installed in every room and every level of a home, including main hallways and basements. Anyone who needs smoke alarms should contact their local fire department or local chapter of the American Red Cross.
Having an escape plan is also important, identifying two ways out of every room and a meeting place outside.
Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths each year. Heating a home safely includes:
• Keeping anything flammable at least three feet away from all heat sources;
• Turning space heaters off when leaving the room and before going to bed;
• Never using kerosene heaters indoors;
• Maintaining heating equipment and chimneys by having them professionally cleaned and checked each year;
• Never using an oven to heat a home.
