Smoke Detectors Save Lives

Each year, more than 5,000 people are killed and 40,000 are injured as a result of fire. Most do not die from burns but rather from inhaling smoke and toxic gases, and most deaths occur at night while the victims are asleep. Smoke detectors, when properly installed and maintained, are considered one of the best and least expensive ways to provide an early warning when a fire begins. In fact, a person is twice as likely to survive a fire when properly functioning smoke detectors are installed.

Smoke detectors play an important role in a family fire safety plan. Other key actions include:

• Placing at least one smoke detector on each level of the home.
  
• Knowing the alarm sound and what to do when it sounds in the middle of the night.
  
• Planning a secondary emergency exit route in case the normal exit is cut off.
  
• Writing down and practicing the escape plan with fire drills.
  
• Practicing crawling to safely stay under the smoke. Remember before opening doors to touch doorknobs and the top of the door to test for heat.
  

Immediately leave and go to a prearranged meeting place outside the building if the detector sounds. Never stop to call a fire department from a burning building. Never reenter the building once you have left.

Types of Detectors

There are two types of smoke detectors.

• An ionization detector uses a small amount of radioactive material to make the air within a sensing chamber conduct electricity. As very small smoke particles enter the sensing chamber, these materials interfere with the conducting of electricity, reducing the current and triggering the alarm. Such detectors respond most quickly to flaming fires.
  
• Photoelectric detectors use a small light source — either an incandescent or a light emitting diode — which shines its light into a dark sensing chamber containing a photocell. The chamber is arranged so that the light never makes contact with the photocell. As smoke enters the chamber, light reflects off the smoke and hits the photocell which triggers the smoke alarm. Photoelectric detectors respond most quickly to smoldering fires.
  

Additionally, smoke detectors are either battery-powered or electric. Battery-powered detectors generally can run for one year before the battery needs to be replaced. When the battery begins to lose power and needs to be replaced, the detector will emit beeps every minute or so and will keep this up for a week or longer.

Electric smoke detectors are supplied with a constant source of electricity from the household circuit system. However, these units are vulnerable to power failure.

Buying Smoke Detectors

When shopping for a smoke detector, consider the following:

• Look for the Underwriters Laboratories or Factory Mutual labels on the package. Such a seal ensures that the unit meets certain standards of operation and sensitivity.
  
• Be certain that clear and detailed installation and maintenance instructions accompany the model or unit. Instructions should tell you how to install it, suggest where to put it and provide guidance for testing and maintenance.
  
  

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