Fire Chiefs Emphasize the Importance of Smoke Alarms in the Home

The New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, Albany Fire Department, and fire chiefs from the Capital District and throughout the state of New York gathered in Albany, N.Y. on May 20, 2014, to demonstrate the necessity of having working smoke alarms in your home.

According to the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, in 2012 there were 111 deaths and 1,082 injuries due to fire in New York state. 60 percent of all fire related deaths occurred in homes where there were no smoke alarms or where the alarms were not working. 37 percent of fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarm at all, while 23 percent of the fatalities occurred in homes where the alarms were not functioning properly due to old or missing batteries or the age of the unit itself. In recent months there have been multiple fire fatalities in the Capital District that occurred in homes without working smoke alarms.

Executive Director Jerry DeLuca of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs said, "Simply having a smoke alarm on the ceiling of your hallway is not enough. The alarms must be in working order, they must have fresh batteries, and the alarms can’t be out of date. I have been in too many homes where I have heard the alarm chirping because the resident needed a battery for the TV remote or some other device and removed it from the smoke alarm." Nationwide, nearly three quarters of fatal fires involving non-working smoke alarms were due to batteries being removed or dead.

Nationwide, many local and state governments are moving to a standard of requiring that all smoke alarms have a non-removable – non-replaceable battery. The battery must be a 10-year battery and the alarm itself must be in a tamperproof enclosure.

Albany Fire Chief Warren Abriel stated, "Most fire fatalities occur from smoke inhalation. The simple investment of a few dollars on smoke alarms and batteries can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. While even one smoke alarm can be a lifesaver, you should have enough alarms to meet the recommendations of the code. You should have an alarm in each bedroom and outside of the sleeping area, one at the top and bottom of each stairwell, one outside of the kitchen area, and one on every level of the home, including the basement."

While most people know that you must change the batteries on a regular basis, many people do not realize that smoke alarms also have a life expectancy of approximately 10 years. You must replace them at least that often – some need to be replaced every seven years.

It is also important that smoke alarms be tested on a monthly basis. This is done by simply pushing the "test" button on the alarm. If you can’t reach the alarm from the floor, use a ladder, a broom handle, or the handle of a kitchen spoon. Alarms also need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Simply use the hose of your vacuum to remove dust and cobwebs. A hair dryer can also be used to blow away the debris.

During the press event, the fire chiefs demonstrated different types of smoke alarms, the proper placement of alarms within a house, and how the alarms react to smoke.

Click here to view photos from the demonstration.