Safe Family: Smoke alarms

By: KXII-TV Staff Email
By: KXII-TV Staff Email

It's Fire Prevention Week, and the Oklahoma Department of Health wants to remind you a working smoke alarm can help save your life. It's the subject of today's Safe Family report.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Health, seventy Oklahomans die each year in house fires. Two-thirds of reported house fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that were not working.

The most common sources of house fires in Oklahoma include cigarettes, heating devices, and cooking equipment.

Here are some helpful tips when dealing with smoke alarms:

1. Install working smoke alarms on every level of the home and near every sleeping area.

2. Install smoke alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Use smoke alarms with long-life lithium batteries, or replace batteries in regular alarms annually or when the alarm chirps.

4. Test all smoke alarms at least once a month to ensure they are working properly.

5. Develop and practice a fire escape plan at least twice a year. Know at least two ways to exit every room, and have a designated safe place outside the home where family members can meet. Never go back inside a burning home.

6. Make sure the fire escape plan allows for any specific needs of family members such as infants, small children, older adults, and persons with mobility limitations. Make sure escape routes are clear of clutter – move items that block doors or windows.

7. Never leave cooking food unattended on the stove. Keep flammable items away from the cooking area and avoid wearing clothes with long, loose-fitting sleeves while cooking.

8. Avoid smoking in bed or leaving burning cigarettes unattended; keep burning ashes away from furniture and curtains.

9. When using a space heater, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and keep it away from anything that can catch on fire.

On the Web:

Properly Working Smoke Alarms Can Save Lives
