• 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 smokey. If possible
do not breathe too deeply to avoid smoke inhalation.
Breathe through a cloth (preferably 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 noted by the NFPA and
UL. For instance:
a) smoking in bed
b) leaving children home alone
c) cleaning with flammable liquids, such as gasoline
d) fires where the victim is intimate with a flaming
initiated fire; for example, when a person’s clothes
catch fire while cooking
e) fires where the smoke is prevented from reaching the
detector due to a closed door or other obstruction
f) incendiary fires where the fire grows so rapidly that an
occupant’s egress is blocked even with properly
located detectors
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.
Fire Safety
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