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National Fire Safety Month: Smoke Alarms Cut Home Fire Deaths In Half

NORTHBROOK, Ill., - Sept. 23, 2004 - If you want to increase the odds that you and your family will survive a home fire, install a smoke alarm.

"Your risk of dying in a home fire is literally cut in half by making sure your smoke alarm is installed and maintained properly," says John Drengenberg, manager of Consumer Affairs for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing organization. "October, National Fire Safety Month, is an ideal time to ensure your home fire safety plan includes smoke alarms."

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), homes with smoke alarms typically have a death rate that is 40 percent to 50 percent less than the rate for homes without alarms.

And, while 95 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm, more than half of home fire deaths result from fires in the 5 percent of homes with no smoke alarms.

"Having working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home dramatically increases your chances of survival should a fire occur," says Drengenberg. "By providing an early warning in the event of a fire and practicing a well-developed home fire escape plan, smoke alarms allow you and your family sufficient time to reach safety."

UL offers additional tips for purchasing, maintaining and installing smoke alarms:

  • When you purchase a smoke alarm, look for the UL Mark. The symbol indicates representative samples of the alarm have met UL's stringent safety standards.
  • You may need several smoke alarms to adequately protect your family and your apartment, condominium or house. Install at least one on every floor of your home, including the basement and outside each sleeping area.
  • If you or family members sleep with the bedroom door closed, install smoke alarms inside the bedroom.
  • Some individuals, particularly children, older people, and those with special needs, may not wake up to the sound of a smoke alarm. You should be aware of this when developing your home fire escape plan.
  • Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing smoke alarms.
  • Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
  • Don't disconnect a smoke alarm or "borrow" the batteries.
  • Replace batteries in all smoke alarms twice a year.
  • Replace the smoke alarm every 10 years, or as the manufacturer recommends.

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety certification organization that has been testing products for more than 110 years. UL tests more than 18,850 types of products annually, and more than 19 billion UL Marks appear on products each year. Worldwide, UL's family of companies and its network of service providers inclue 60 laboratories, and testing and certification facilities.

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