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Children and Smoke Alarms (Detectors)In comments made at the launching of the "Tribute to Heroes" fire safety campaign in April 2002, U.S. Fire Administrator R. David Paulison urged Americans to do three things: "install smoke alarms and make sure they are working. Plan an escape route. And do a home fire safety walkthrough." In spite of recent news events about children sleeping through them, smoke alarms and home escape planning are still a vital part of survival from fire. Smoke alarms have been and still are the cornerstone of fire safety technology in the home. Statistics point to a fifty percent reduction in fire fatalities since the introduction of smoke alarms into the home. The vast majority of fatal fires (60 percent) occur in homes without smoke alarms. And a majority of those deaths that occur in homes with smoke alarms are a result of dead or missing batteries. However, the recent news events remind us of the need to continue
research in fire safety and seek to improve on successful technologies
such as smoke alarms. The USFA has recognized the need for a vigorous
and timely exchange of information between the nation's fire safety
stakeholders. It is important that the USFA and its fellow fire safety
related organizations share information in order to analyze and
disseminate appropriate and accurate information to the public and fire
safety education specialists throughout the USFA and its partners are currently reviewing existing literature and studies from both foreign and domestic sources. USFA is also looking to identify and support relevant testing groups on this issue. Partners, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL), are currently reviewing criteria for establishing such testing. What is imperative at the moment is for our citizens to understand the need not to rely solely on smoke alarms as the entire answer to escaping from fire. These recent news events serve to reinforce the need for home escape planning. Smoke alarms are a tool in the planning process. Parents need to clearly understand their supporting roles in the escape plan. After going over the plan with your family, you should conduct a walkthrough of the plan. When you feel comfortable with your plan, hold a fire drill at night (activate your alarm) while your children are sleeping so that you and they can determine the appropriate response to a smoke alarm. Smoke alarms and automatic sprinklers do save lives but they are just tools in the home escape process. We will continue to conduct research and promote new fire safety technologies but families need to remember that while technology is an integral part of the process, the maintenance of that technology (e.g. regular testing, replacing batteries, etc.) and incorporating planning and participation in their use will be the key to saving lives. An official web site of the Department of
Homeland Security
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