"The majority of fatal home fires happen at night, when people are asleep. Contrary to popular belief, the smell of smoke may not wake a sleeping person. The poisonous gases and smoke produced by a fire can numb the senses and put you into a deeper sleep" (National Fire Protection Association, NFPA).

A developing fire produces large amounts of heat, smoke, and toxic gases even before the flames begin. The smoke reduces visibility and the gases begin to reduce your ability to escape from the home. According to NFPA, smoke detectors can cut your risk of dying in a home fire nearly in half by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape.

Types of Smoke Detectors
Some run on batteries, others run on household current. Some detect smoke using an "ionization " sensor; others use a "photoelectric" system. All approved types of detectors will offer adequate protection provided they are installed and maintained properly.

How Many
Every home should have a smoke detector outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Be sure everyone sleeping in your home can hear your smoke detector's alarm even with the bedroom doors closed. If not, or if any residents are hearing impaired, additional detectors should be placed inside the bedrooms. There are special smoke detectors for the hearing impaired; these flash a light in addition to sounding an audible alarm.

NFPA suggests installing smoke detectors in dining rooms, furnace room, utility rooms, bedrooms, and hallways for extra protection. Smoke detectors are not recommended in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, or attics where cooking fumes, steam, exhaust, humidity and temperature changes could set off false alarms.

Maintenance

• Never disable your smoke detector by "borrowing" batteries for other uses.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Test all smoke detectors monthly.
• Install new batteries twice a year - The International Association of Fire Chiefs urges.Americans to change smoke alarm batteries when changing their clocks each spring and fall.
• Clean your detectors using a vacuum, without removing the detector cover.
• Never paint a smoke detector.
• Smoke detectors don't last forever - replace any detector that is more than 10 years old.

We Can Help
In cooperation with the American Red Cross, the Euclid Fire Department supplies and installs smoke detectors for residents at no charge. Call 216-289-8425 for more information or to set up an appointment.