Do you have enough smoke alarms in your home?

Fire statistics reveal that one smoke alarm may not be enough to provide you with the best chance of escaping a fire in the home.
Smoke alarmSmoke alarm
Smoke alarm

Most people know that working smoke alarms save lives. They provide the vital early warning that allows for a safe escape and a tragedy avoided.

But, despite the majority of homes (95 per cent) having at least one smoke alarm, smoke alarms only alerted householders to just under half of fires in the home in England.

Smoke alarm safety campaign.Smoke alarm safety campaign.
Smoke alarm safety campaign.
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The most common reason a smoke alarm failed to activate was because the fire was outside its range.

For this reason, the national fire safety campaign and Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service are encouraging people to think about the smoke alarms in their home.

“We all must make sure that we have enough smoke alarms in our homes and that they are in the right places,” said Chief Fire Officer Paul Hedley from Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service. “If your whole home isn’t covered, you could be leaving it to chance and, in a fire, you might not get the early warning that you need”.

“The vast majority of us now have at least one working smoke alarm in our home, but early detection and warning is vital to reduce the devastation a fire can cause. That’s why it’s so important that you have enough smoke alarms and that they are in the right places, giving the alarms the best chance of alerting you and your loved ones to a fire.”

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Mr Hedley continued: “You should make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, preferably in hallways and landings. And placing smoke detectors near to sleeping areas and in rooms where there are electrical appliances could give you the extra warning you need.

Coun John Riddle, cabinet member with responsibility for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said: “It’s also important to remember that smoke alarms don’t last forever. The power might work, but the detection mechanism deteriorates with time. So whether they are battery operated or wired to the mains, to work at their best they should be replaced every ten years.

“And finally, don’t forget to test your smoke alarms every month. They can only do their job if they’re in good working order.”

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service offered these five smoke alarm top tips: Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home; the ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room or on a hallway or landing; consider fitting additional alarms in other rooms where there are electrical appliances and near sleeping areas; don’t put alarms in or near kitchens and bathrooms where smoke or steam can set them off by accident; replace your smoke alarms every ten years.

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Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service is also urging carers and people who keep a close eye on less able relatives to check that these homes have enough smoke alarms in the right places too.

For further information about fire safety at home, contact our Community Safety Department: Telephone: 0800 731 1351 or Email: [email protected]