NFPA Concludes Fire Prevention Week

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) just concluded another successful Fire Prevention Week, which aims to increase public awareness about fire safety among homeowners.

This year’s theme was “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years.” Advice included in this theme was directed to American residents to keep their smoke alarms up to date with regular dust clearing and battery changing. To raise awareness, the NFPA has shared some facts about the importance of smoke alarms:

• In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm, hardwired alarms operated 94% of the time, while battery powered alarms operated 80% of the time.
• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
• Three out of five home fire deaths in 2009-2013 were caused by fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected, or dead.
• An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, or where extra time is needed to awaken or assist others, both types of alarms, or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms are recommended.

Keeping smoke alarms in good order is a simple thing that goes a long way in ensuring your home is prepared in the case of an accidental fire.

If you are unsure whether your house is as prepared as it could be, the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (F&EMS) Department’s Firefighting Division offers free home inspections. They will look for overloaded outlets, working smoke detectors, unobstructed exit routes from your home, and good visibility from the street. All are important factors in a home’s preparedness in case of a fire. If you are interested in booking an appointment, please call (202) 673-3331. The District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department also offers a variety of resources for parents, teachers, and students on their website.

If somebody you love suffered an injury in a fire, or you got hurt and you believe that someone’s negligence, carelessness or wrongdoing somehow contributed to the accident, call the Washington, DC personal injury lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC for a free and confidential consultation.