Officials urge participation in National Fire Safety Week

Officials from the state fire marshal’s office urge everyone to take part in National Fire Safety Campaign Week.

The week of Oct. 9-15 is officially fire safety week, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal is urging families to take time to follow important steps in fire safety.

Officials said at least one fire alarm should be located on every level of every home, including the basement. There should also be one within every 15 feet outside of each sleeping area.

Fire officials also urge people to install combination smoke alarms or ionization and photoelectric alarms. An ionization alarm is typically more responsive to a flaming fire, officials said, such as a pan fire. A photoelectric alarm is more responsive to a smoldering fire, as might occur from a lighted cigarette, they said.

The labels of the alarms should carry the label of a recognized testing laboratory, and interconnected smoke alarms offer the best protection for homes. With an interconnected system, when one alarm sounds, they all sound throughout the home.

Officials said the alarm is particularly important in larger or multistory homes where the sound from distant smoke alarms may not always be heard.

People are also urged to test smoke alarms once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in the home knows the sound. If an alarm chirps, it means the warning battery is low and the battery should be replaced right away, officials said.

Replace all hard wired alarms with 10-year batteries as soon as the devices turn 10 years old (or sooner), while other smoke alarms should have their batteries replaced twice a year.

“Families must discuss what to do in case of a fire alert and develop a fire escape plan in case a fire alarm goes off in the middle of the night or at any time,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Larry Matkaitis. “Working smoke detectors have been a vital element in saving lives; they serve as the most immediate warning to act properly.”