A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing that can alert you and your family to a fire around the clock and significantly increases your chance of survival. Whether you're awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm constantly scans the air in your home for smoke.
In addition to changing your batteries, we also recommend these simple steps to protect your life, your loved ones, and your home:
- Dust or vacuum smoke alarms when you change the batteries.
- Test alarms once a month with the test button.
- Replace the entire alarm if it's more than 10 years old or doesn't work properly when tested.
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, and inside and outside of sleeping areas.
- For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor alarms.
- Interconnect smoke alarms throughout your home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Interconnected alarms are available at most stores that sell smoke alarms.
- Make sure everyone in your home understands the warning of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
- Finally, prepare and practice an escape plan so you and your loved ones can get out of your home safely should a fire occur. Plan to meet a safe distance from the fire where first responders can easily see you.
If you don’t have a working fire alarm for any reason, call your local fire department to see if you qualify for a free alarm.
For more information, contact CSFD Public Education Officer Christina Seidel at 979.764.3712 or cseidel@cstx.gov.
CSFD Public Information Officer