Atwater fire officials push education on smoke alarms

Location matters when it comes to your smoke alarm, according to fire officials.

The Atwater Fire Department has teamed with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign: “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm.”

Fire Prevention Week, taking place this week, is meant to remind residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

“In a fire, seconds count,” said Chief Nancy Koerperich with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Merced County. “Half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.”

According to recent research by the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Three out of 5 fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:

▪ Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.

▪ Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. This way, when one sounds, they all do.

▪ Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.

▪ Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.

▪ Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.

▪ If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting place.

▪ Call the fire department from outside the home.

The Atwater Fire Department will be hosting activities at local schools and community events this week.

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Atwater fire officials push education on smoke alarms."