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Important Safety Tips About Smoke Detectors and Escape Ladders

March 22, 2015 Leave a Comment

In  light of the terrible tragedy in Brooklyn in which many perished due to a malfunctioning hotplate, please consider the following ideas/ aitzos regarding smoke detectors and electrical safety:

  • University Hospitals Rainbow Babies has a great selection of safety products available at very close to cost. More information about hours and ordering can be found at their webpage as well as a downloadable list of products and their prices.
  • Amazon also carries a number of these same products at slightly higher prices but the convenience of delivery to your door. In particular consider:
    • Escape Ladders – for 2 story windows around $35, for three story windows around $55 – make sure you practice with your family to make sure they are familiar with their usage
    • Carbon Monoxide Detectors
  • Walmart carries basic smoke detectors for just $5 with a battery. Usually these batteries don’t last the whole  year- best to buy your own alkaline brand name battery and replace with first installation. Consider buying a photoelectric detector which picks up smoke particles and ionization detectors which pick up heat/ flames. Ideally purchase dual sensor detectors that have both sensing abilities. After 8 or more years smoke detectors need to be discarded as they are no longer sensitive enough to work properly so check the dates on your detectors. Why not buy a new smoke detector that has a 10 year built in battery so that you install and discard it 10 years later and no need for battery changes?
  •  Be careful with electric devices that are not UL listed as is the case with many Israeli “platas” that do not carry this certification and typically run very hot. Ask yourself if your 50+ year old house with original wiring is really meant to run a 12oow hot plate for 24+ hrs? Consider hiring an electrician to wire a dedicated outlet with new wiring and more advanced line protection technology just for use in the kitchen with high wattage appliances. Consider using a lower watt warming tray or perhaps consider buying a timer that is designed to handle high wattage (ask your Rav about timers)? Also having a timer and using an extension cord may also increase electrical risk by having more connections and places for accidents.

Below are some safety tips and suggestions about different type of smoke detectors and their usage :

Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries.

Smoke alarms save lives. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half. Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. No smoke alarms were present in more than one-third (37%) of the home fire deaths.

Here’s what you need to know!

* Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.

* Test your smoke alarms every month.

* When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.

* Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years

What types of smoke alarms can I buy?

There are many brands of smoke alarms on the market, but they fall under two basic types: ionization and photoelectric.Ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms detect different types of fires. Since no one can predict what type of fire might start in their home, the USFA recommends that every home and place where people sleep have:

  • Both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms. OR
  • Dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.

There are also alarms for people with hearing loss. These alarms may have strobe lights that flash and/or vibrate to alert those who are unable to hear standard smoke alarms when they sound.

What powers a smoke alarm?

Smoke alarms are powered by battery or by your home’s electrical system. If the smoke alarm is powered by battery, it runs on either a disposable nine-volt battery or a non-replaceable 10-year lithium (“long-life”) battery. Alarms that get power from your home’s electrical system, or “hardwired,” usually have a back-up battery that will need to be replaced once a year.

Are smoke alarms expensive?

Smoke alarms are not expensive and are worth the lives they can help save.

Alarm type and cost

  • Ionization and photoelectric: $6 and up
  • Dual sensor: $24 and up
  • Smoke alarms with a microprocessor (faster to alert, fewer false alarms): $30 and up
  • Radio frequency/wireless (communicate from one to the next without wires: $40 and up)

Your city, county or state may require a specific type of alarm. Please check with your local fire marshal for information on what type of alarm you need.Some fire departments offer reduced-price, or even free, smoke alarms. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information.Where do I put smoke alarms in my home?

  • Put smoke alarms on every floor of your home. Also, in every bedroom and in the hallway outside of each sleeping area.
  • Choose smoke alarms that communicate with each other, so that if one alarm sounds they all will.
  • Place smoke alarms on the ceiling or high on the wall. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the best place for your alarm.
  • Only qualified electricians should install hardwired smoke alarms.

Some fire departments will install battery-operated smoke alarms in your home at no cost. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information.

How do I take care of my smoke alarm?

Is your smoke alarm still working? A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all. A smoke alarm only works when it is properly installed and regularly tested. Take care of your smoke alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Below are some general maintenance tips.Smoke alarm powered by a nine-volt battery

  • Test the alarm monthly.
  • Replace the batteries at least once every year.
  • Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.

Smoke alarm powered by a 10-year lithium (or “long-life”) battery

  • Test the alarm monthly.
  • Since you cannot (and should not) replace the lithium battery, replace the entire smoke alarm according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Smoke alarm that is hardwired into your home’s electrical system

  • Test the alarm monthly.
  • Replace the backup battery at least once every year.
  • Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.

What do I do if my smoke alarm sounds while I’m cooking?

Never take the battery out of your smoke alarm while cooking! If a smoke alarm sounds while you’re cooking or taking a shower with lots of steam, do not remove the battery. You should:

  • Open a window or door and press the “hush” button.
  • Wave a towel at the alarm to clear the air.
  • Move the entire alarm several feet away from the kitchen or bathroom.

Disabling a smoke alarm or removing the battery can be a deadly mistake.

 

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