Fire Safety Tips

Smoke Detectors - A Sound For Life

If there were to be a fire in your home tonight, would your family survive?  

With properly placed and maintained smoke detectors you increase your chances of survival by 50%. In Alliance it is required that one smoke detector be installed on each level of every residence.

Most residential fire deaths occur between 11 P.M. and 7 A.M. This is the time of greatest danger, when people are asleep. The primary killer is smoke and poisonous gases which overcome victims as they sleep. From the time a fire breaks out there is a limited amount of time that a person has to escape. With the early warning of a smoke detector, you can be awakened during the early stages of a fire while escape is still possible.

When purchasing smoke detectors for your home be sure they are labeled by a nationally recognized fire-testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).

For minimum protection, it is suggested that smoke detectors should be installed outside of each bedroom or sleeping area. Placement of your smoke detector is important. Because smoke rises, the detector should be mounted on the ceiling or high on a wall. If wall mounted, the top of the detector should be 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling. A ceiling mounted detector should be at least 4 inches from any wall. Take care to keep the detector away from drafts created by fans or air ducts. Also, if a hallway leading to bedrooms is more than 40-feet long, a detector should be placed at both ends.

Once you've installed your smoke detectors, their maintenance is very important. Your detector should be tested a minimum of once a month by pressing the test button or using smoke. Replace the batteries according to the manufacturer's recommendation, or a least once a year, using the type of batteries recommended. Because dust and cobwebs can impair the sensitivity of the detector, follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning.

Properly installed and maintained smoke detectors can provide you and your family with the necessary early warning to escape a home fire. For additional information on the purchase and placement of smoke detectors, contact the Alliance Fire Prevention Bureau at phone (330) 821-1213.

What You Don't Know About Carbon Monoxide...

Can Kill You

WHAT IS CARBON MONOXIDE?

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that kills nearly 300 people in their homes each year. It has no smell, no taste and no color. Carbon monoxide (CO) is truly a "senseless" killer. Burning any fuel produces carbon monoxide. Therefore, any fuel-burning appliance in your home is a potential CO source. Improperly operating appliances can produce fatal CO concentrations in your home.

SYMPTOMS OF CO POISONING

The initial symptoms of CO are similar to the flu (but without the fever). They include:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea
• Irregular breathing

Remember, if you have any of these symptoms and if you feel better when you go outside your home and the symptoms reappear once you’re back inside, you may have CO poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer’s instructions and local building codes. Professionals should install most appliances.

• Have the heating system (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually.

• Follow manufacturer’s directions for safe operation.

• Examine vents and chimneys regularly for improper connections, visible rust or stains.

• Notice problems that could indicate improper appliance operation:

  • Decreasing hot water supply

  • Furnace unable to heat house or runs constantly

  • Sooting, especially on appliances

WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO....

• Never burn charcoal indoors or in a garage.

• Never service appliances without proper knowledge, skills, and tools.

• Never use the gas range or oven for heating.

• Never leave a car running in a garage.

• Never operate unvented gas-burning appliances in a closed room

In a Fire - Every Second Counts

"It started out as a small fire. I was too embarrassed to call the fire department." 

Each year many fires start out small and then end up causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages because someone was afraid or too embarrassed to call the fire department. During the early stages of a fire, your actions play a crucial role in the safety of your family and the amount of damage that occurs.

Upon discovering a fire, you should sound an alarm, let the people in the area know that there's the potential for danger and that they should evacuate. Call the fire department, even if the fire is small. For every minute a fire burns it doubles in size. Small fires can grow quickly. Only after the first two steps have been completed, should you try to extinguish small fires.

The Alliance Fire Department is here to help you! Don't be afraid to call if we can help in any way, because, in a fire, every second counts. If you have any questions or need additional information, contact the Alliance Fire Prevention Bureau at (330) 821-1213.

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