The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
As past years, Fire Prevention Week is held national in both Canada and the United States. The fire safety campaign for this year is: "Test Your Smoke Alarms" and runs from October 3-9. Smoke alarms are critical for early detection of fire. Yet, many homes in Canada and the United States only have one smoke alarm in their home, while others still have none. Other people have smoke alarms installed on each level of their home and near/outside sleeping areas; some have them in each bedroom. But, are they working? Ask yourself, are my smoke alarms correctly located, installed, and working? Have I followed the manufacturer's recommendations on installation, care and maintenance? When is the last time I tested my smoke alarms? When is the last time my smoke alarms were vacuumed? When is the last time I changed the batteries in my smoke alarms, and do I have enough fresh batteries in my home, in case the low-battery-alarm starts to beep? How old are my smoke alarms? Have I been complacent in not having a home escape plan with two ways out of each room, and practicing that plan twice a year? Complacency can cost you your life, and the lives of others. For your safety, and the safety of family and friends?correctly locate, install, and maintained working smoke alarms on each level of your home or cottage, outside/near the sleeping areas, and in each bedroom! Test your smoke alarms weekly by pushing the alarm test button. Test smoke alarms monthly with actual smoke from a piece of smouldering cotton string, incense stick, or candlewick. On returning from a trip or vacation, test all smoke alarms?the battery may be completely dead. Every 6 months, carefully vacuum the inside and outside of a battery-powered smoke alarm with a soft brush attachment, and test it when done. If the alarm is electrically connected, shut off the power, and vacuum the outside vents only. Make sure you test the unit when you restore the power. Install new batteries every 6 months. Smoke alarms don't last forever, replace them if they are 10-years-old or older. Develop and practice twice a year?a home escape plan with two exits out of each room, and a meeting place outside.
