Statistics back up my anecdotal experience that the most frequently overlooked hazard is fire. Ironically, smoke detectors are extremely effective at saving lives, yet most homes are not adequately equipped in the number, location or proper type of detectors present.
Getting out of the house quickly in the event of a fire is essential. The likelihood of escaping decreases dramatically as each minute passes. For this reason, multiple smoke detectors are now required within each home. The current code requires a smoke detector within each bedroom (or sleeping area), in the hallway adjacent to the bedrooms (or sleeping areas) and one on each level of the home. Thus for a typical two story home with three bedrooms, five smoke detectors would be required. The philosophy behind requiring multiple detectors is that the faster an alarm sounds, the greater the likelihood of getting out alive.
Equally important to having an adequate number of detectors is ensuring their proper function. We all know the importance of testing our smoke detectors regularly and changing the batteries twice per year. Many, however, do not realize that smoke detectors have a limited life. If your detector is more than ten years old, it should be replaced, even if it works to the touch. Activation of a smoke detector relies upon a chemical decaying technology that by design no longer functions after a certain length of time. For most manufacturers, the design life of a detector is only ten years.
Disturbingly, studies are showing that children do not wake up promptly when a standard smoke detector goes off. Often times, children will sleep through an alarm completely. A recently introduced product allows parents to record their own voice to give their children instructions when the alarm is activated is proving very effective. Studies are showing children getting up within seconds of hearing the instructions from their parents rather than the minutes it typically takes with a standard alarm.
An additional benefit of this technology is that parents can remind their children of their fire escape plan and meeting point: “Billy! Get up. There’s a fire! Get out of the house and meet at the street light.” Currently there is only one manufacturer of a UL approved recordable detector – Signal One (www.kidsmart.com).
Of course, do not forget to rehearse your family fire escape plan and make sure you have escape ladders if you live in a multi-story home.