Do you know how old the smoke alarm is in your home? Not many people do. To find out how old your smoke alarm is and its expiration date, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm. It’s probably older than you thought. It’s Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s theme is “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years” to bring awareness to the problem of expired smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms need to be replaced 10 years from the date on the back of the alarm, not the date of purchase, to ensure they will work properly if there is a fire. Three out of five home fire deaths in 2009-2013 were caused by fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms, so the importance of knowing how old your smoke alarms are is critical to your safety.
Smoke alarms should also be tested monthly, and batteries should be replaced once a year or when they begin to chirp, signaling that they’re running low. A good practice to get into is testing your smoke alarms when Daylight Savings Time begins and ends.
The Hudson Fire Department kicked off Fire Prevention Week with an open house yesterday. Families enjoyed their time learning about fire safety and weather safety while having fun. They also learned valuable information about smoke alarms. View the photos at the link below.
