Fire Safety
17
What To Do When The Alarm Sounds
• Alert small children in the home.
• Leave immediately by your escape plan. Every second
counts, so don’t waste time getting dressed or picking
up valuables.
• In leaving, don’t open any inside door without first
feeling its surface. If hot, or if you see smoke seeping
through cracks, don’t open that door! Instead, use your
alternate exit. If the inside of the door is cool, place
your shoulder against it, open it slightly and be ready to
slam it shut if heat and smoke rush in.
• Stay close to the floor if the air is smoky. Breathe
shallowly through a cloth, wet if possible.
• Once outside, go to your selected meeting place and
make sure everyone is there.
• Call the fire department from your neighbor’s home–not
from yours!
• Don’t return to your home until the fire officials say that
it is all right to do so.
There are situations where a smoke alarm may not be
effective to protect 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 products. 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.
