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Fire Prevention
Never smoke in bed, or leave cooking food unattended. Teach
children never to play with matches or lighters! Train everyone in
the home to recognize the alarm pattern and the voice message
warning, and to leave the home using their escape plan when
it’s heard. Know how to “Stop, Drop and Roll” if clothes catch
on fire, and how to crawl low under smoke. Install and maintain
fire extinguishers on every level of the home and in the kitchen,
basement and garage. Know how to use a fire extinguisher prior
to an emergency. Second level and higher occupied rooms with
windows should have an escape ladder.
Current studies have shown smoke alarms may not awaken all
sleeping individuals. It is the responsibility of individuals in the
household who are capable of assisting others to provide assistance
to those who may not be awakened by the alarm sound, or to those
who may be incapable of safely evacuating the area unassisted.
There are situations in which a smoke alarm may not
provide effective protection against fire as stated in the NFPA
Standard 72. For instance: a) smoking in bed, b) leaving children
home alone, c) cleaning with flammable liquids such as gasoline.
NRC Information
Ionization type smoke alarms use a very small amount of a
radioactive element in the sensing chamber to enable detection of
visible and invisible combustion particles. The radioactive element
is safely contained in the chamber and requires no adjustments or
maintenance. This smoke alarm meets or exceeds all government
standards. It is manufactured and distributed under license from the
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
NFPA Required Protection
The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 72 provides the
following information:
Where required by other governing laws, codes, or standards for
a specific type of occupancy, approved single and multiple-station
smoke alarms shall be installed as follows:
(1) In all sleeping rooms and guest rooms
(2) Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area, within
6.4 m (21’) of any door to a sleeping room, with the distance
measured along a path of travel
