Brigantine Fire Department

Brigantine Fire Department
 Fire Prevention

Is Your Family Safe?

A home fire impacts the life of an American family every 85 seconds. By providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape, smoke alarms cut in half your family’s risk of dying in a home fire-but only if they work. So, when you turn your clocks back on November 1, also make a lifesaving change in your household-change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. This simple habit takes just a moment, but is the best defense your family has against the devastating effects of a home fire.

This reminder to Change Your Clock Change Your Battery comes from Energizer batteries, The Brigantine Fire Department, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Simple Changes That Could Save Your Life

How safe is your household?
Use this checklist to find out if you are taking the right steps to protect your family:

 1. Count Your Smoke Alarms
Be sure there is at least one smoke alarm installed on every level of your home, including one in every bedroom and outside of each sleeping area.

2. Change Your Smoke Alarm and carbon Monoxide Detector Batteries
It only takes moment, but this simple habit is the best defense your family has against the devastating effects of a home fire or accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The IAFC and fire experts nationwide encourage people to change smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries at least annually. An easy way to remember to do so is to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks back to standard time on November 1.

3. Check Your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
After inserting a fresh battery in each smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector, push the safety test button to make sure alarms are in proper working condition. Never disconnect your smoke alarm battery!! Remember that a “chirping” alarm is a signal that it needs a fresh battery.

4. Clean Your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Ensure your smoke alarms’ and carbon monoxide detectors’ sensitivity by cleaning them each month of dust and cobwebs.

5. Replace Your Smoke Alarms
Install brand new smoke alarms every ten years.

6. Change Your Flashlight Batteries
Keep flashlights with fresh batteries at your bedside for help in finding the way out and signaling for help in the event of a fire.

7. Install Fire Extinguishers
Install a fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen and be sure that every adult family member knows how to use it.

8. Get the Whole Family Involved
Once smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are installed and have fresh batteries, you should also make sure family members – children in particular – know what the alarms and detectors sound like and what to do should the alarms ever sound.