On December 4, the Sacramento City and Metropolitan Fire Departments partnered to stage a dramatic demonstration at their training facility which showed how a dry Christmas tree and faulty lights or a candle can spark a home fire. And, they showed the tremendous value and benefit to working smoke alarms. Though the demonstration fire ignited and grew quickly, the smoke alarm sounded loud and clear providing potential residents the opportunity to escape to safety. Research shows that smoke alarms cut the risk of death from home fires in half. Are your smoke alarms working properly? Have you checked the batteries lately?
Protect yourself and your family in two simple steps:
- Develop a fire escape plan.
- Develop a fire escape plan for your household. Practice it several times every year at different times of the day and night. Make sure everyone can get out of your home in two minutes, or less.
- Include two ways to exit every room.
- Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas or homes above the ground floor, such as apartments.
- Pick an outside meeting place for your family to gather. Ensure everyone , young and old, knows where your meeting place is.
- Check smoke alarm batteries and install new alarms, if needed.
- Test your smoke alarm batteries every month.
- Replace batteries at least once a year, or more often, if needed.
- Make sure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home, in every bedroom, and near every sleeping area.
Be prepared! Make a plan and check your alarms today!
Gold Country News and Notes 