2024 fire prevention week is focusing on smoke alarms. Make your smoke alarm work for you, is the slogan this year.We know many people get complacent when it comes smoke alarms and their lives. People of believe we are sharing old news year after year and sometimes we are. There is a reason for that though, many times when we do our inspections and post interviews after a fire we learn that the smoke alarm’s or fire alarm system were not in the best possible condition. Parts or the systems are missing, not functioning or simply non existent.
Many times these early detection devices could change the outcome of an emergency. They provide more time to react, to get out safely and to call for help sooner which in turn allows the fire department to intervene and stop the fire spread quicker. In commercial settings we need to react, not ignore. That means in places like hotels, malls or hockey rinks that we need to get up and leave the building until the alarm is not longer going off and we have been told by a local professional that it’s safe to re-enter.
Smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years or when they don’t pass a test, which ever comes first. The batteries need to be changed annually, even if they still work, and the alarms need to be tested monthly. Commercial alarms also require specific testing and certifications.
The Saskatchewan building code changed a couple years ago and it is now law that every bed room has a smoke alarm installed in it, no exemptions or grandfather rules apply. It’s also law that those alarms are interconnected on all homes that are newly built or undergo major renovations. For homes that are older, they can be battery operated and do not have to be interconnected.
It is my personal opinion that they should be interconnected, I would suggest that if you have not already brought your home up to code that you look at a wifi connected combination smoke co alarm. Interconnected means that if my alarm in the basement (or any other) alarm goes of for any reason, CO or Smoke, that all of the other alarms in the house will also go off, this is important because many people including kids won’t hear an alarm when it is in another part of a home. Having all of the alarms go off will increase the likely hood of someone hearing them and buy you and your family valuable seconds in an emergency.
There are many different wifi connected combination alarms in the market, the most important thing to watch is that it meets UL and/or CSA standards. I personally am a fan of the google protects, I like that they give you a green light every night before bed to let you know they have done a self check and there are no issues, they give you alerts to your connected cell phone when something has changed or when there may be small amounts of smoke present from something like a toaster. They are very user friendly and easy to install. Do your research and find something that you are comfortable purchasing as there are many suitable options.
If you are ever in need of more information please reach out to our team on Facebook or email firepubed@kinderaley.ca and we will help get you the information you need or lead you to the correct resource.