Bargersville Community Fire Department is emphasizing smoke detectors for Fire Prevention Week, an annual public health observance where community members learn how to stay safe in case of a fire.
Provided by Bargersville Fire Department
When was the last time you checked your smoke detector?
Local firefighters are emphasizing the importance of smoke detectors for Fire Prevention Week, an annual public health observance where community members learn how to stay safe in case of a fire.
Fire Prevention Week takes place Oct. 6 through Oct. 12 this year. This year’s theme “Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You” focuses on educating the community about the life-saving importance of installing and maintaining working smoke alarms in every home.
Smoke alarms are crucial in reducing fire-related injuries and fatalities, said Kaleb Buchanan, a Bargersville Community Fire Department public information officer. Residents can do all the right things to prevent a fire, but one of the best things to do is maintain working smoke detectors in a home, he said.
Every bedroom and every floor of a home should have a working smoke detector, Buchanan said. Some local fire departments including Bargersville have a stock of smoke detectors and can help the public install them.
Smoke alarms should be installed near sleeping spaces and on each level of the home, including the basement, he said. Basement fires happen often and can “hide really well until they decide to show themselves,” he said.
It is not recommended to install them in kitchens or bathrooms. That’s because smoke from cooking or steam from the shower can set them off and create a “muscle memory” for residents, Buchanan said.
“You kind of get that motion memory, or muscle memory of hearing it in the kitchen when it goes off. You’re like, ‘Oh, it’s nothing,’ Then when you have the real deal, you know you’re not gonna take it seriously,” Buchanan said.
Smoke detectors should be tested at least once a month by pushing the test button. Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years or when they stop working. When the time changes, such as spring forward or fall back, residents should also change the batteries in their smoke detectors, Buchanan said.
Smoke alarms can be scary for people who are sensitive to sound and are ineffective for people who are deaf. Bargersville Fire Department can help guide residents to the smoke detectors to help those populations, Buchanan said.
Beyond smoke alarms, the fire department has other tips to keep residents safe this week and all year round.
- Never leave lit candles or the stove unattended.
- About 5 to 10 feet of space should be open between space heaters and flammable objects such as cloth and paper.
- Smokers should always put out their cigarettes thoroughly and should consider smoking outdoors.
- Have a plan in place in case of a house fire including a centralized family meeting place.
- Perform upkeep if any electrical issues are suspected.
Buchanan highlighted electrical issues as something residents put off that can be important to prevent fires. The breaker tripping when there isn’t a particularly high load of electrical demand could be a sign for a homeowner to have their home checked out.
“I think we’re all guilty of thinking, ‘Oh, this will never happen,’ until it does and then it’s like ‘what the heck just happened?’” Buchanan said. “A big problem, even just in life in general, is we get complacent as humans. And when you get complacent and you let your guard down, that’s when you’re in the most vulnerable state. So you can never be too overly cautious when it comes to the safety of yourself, your family, your home. … Be prepared. Have a plan in place that way you’re not caught in your most vulnerable moment.”
For more information about Fire Prevention Week, visit nfpa.org/Events/Fire-Prevention-Week.
With questions, call the Bargersville Fire Department at 317-422-5187.
