Test, replace smoke, carbon monoxide alarms to save lives

  • Published
  • By John Price, Naval District of Washington fire inspector
  • Naval District Washington Fire/EMS Department Fire Prevention Division
BOLLING AFB, D.C. --  The Naval District Washington Fire/EMS Department Fire Prevention Division would like to remind residents and personnel on Bolling to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks March 8 for daylight savings.

Batteries in all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be changed twice a year. People can remember to do this when changing their clocks twice a year for daylight savings. If an alarm "chirps", warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away. Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button. Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly.

Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors offer an early warning of a fire or carbon monoxide leak and can provide a head start to a safe and early escape.

Smoke alarms are also an important part of a home fire escape plan. Installing smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement, can offer protection against becoming trapped in a house fire. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

Smoke rises; install smoke alarms following manufacturer's instructions high on a wall or on a ceiling. Save manufacturer's instructions for testing and maintenance, and be sure the smoke alarm has the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Alarms that are hard-wired and include battery backup must be installed by a qualified electrician.

Smoke alarms that include a recordable voice announcement in addition to the usual alarm sound, may be helpful in waking children through the use of a familiar voice. Smoke alarms are also available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices use strobe lights, and vibration devices can be added to these alarms.

An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires, while a photoelectric smoke alarm tends to respond better to smoldering fires. For the best protection, both types of alarms or a combination alarm should be installed in homes.

If cooking fumes or steam sets off nuisance alarms, replace the alarm with an alarm that has a "hush" button. A "hush" button will reduce the alarm's sensitivity for a short period of time. An ionization alarm with a hush button or a photoelectric alarm should be used if the alarm is within 20 feet of a cooking appliance.

Just as much of a threat as house fires are carbon monoxide leaks. Although the popularity of carbon monoxide alarms has been growing in recent years, it cannot be assumed that everyone is familiar with the hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home.

Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created by the incomplete combustion of certain fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

The dangers of carbon monoxide exposure depend on a number of variables, including the victim's health and activity level. Infants, pregnant women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body's ability to use oxygen, such as emphysema, asthma or heart disease, can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of carbon monoxide than a healthy adult would be.

A person can be poisoned by a small amount of carbon monoxide over a longer period of time or by a large amount of carbon monoxide over a short amount of time.

In 2005, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 61,100 non-fire incidents in which carbon monoxide was found, or an average of seven such calls per hour. The number of incidents increased 18 percent from 51,700 incidents reported in 2003. This increase is most likely due to the increased use of carbon monoxide detectors, which alert people to the presence of carbon monoxide.

If you have any questions about smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors or other safety matters, call the Naval District of Washington Fire Prevention Office at (202) 685- 0207 or 0208.