Fire Prevention Week

10/06/2024 – 10/12/2024 

Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!™”

The Euless Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 100 years — to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Smoke alarms: make them work for you! ™” NFPA data shows that the majority of U.S. home fire deaths continue to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

“Smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a home fire, but they have to be working in order to deliver the needed protection,” said Lorraine Carli, Vice President of the Outreach and Advocacy division at NFPA. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign reinforces the critical importance of smoke alarms and what’s needed to install, test, and maintain them properly.”

Having working smoke alarms in the home reduces the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (54 percent). However, roughly three out of five fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.

“People tend to remove smoke alarm batteries or dismantle them altogether when they don’t know how to fix the issue. These actions put them at serious risk in the event of a home fire,” said Carli. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign gives people the tools and know-how to keep their smoke alarms in working order.”

Remember to:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of the home.
  
• Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
  
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
  
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or don’t respond when tested.

Contact the Euless Fire Department if you would like someone to visit your home and evaluate your smoke alarms. If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms for your home, the Fire Department may be able to install them for you free of charge. Fill out the Smoke Alarm Request online form.Although fires can occur anywhere, four out of five U.S. fire deaths occur at home each year. Share this information with your loved ones, so they will know what to do in the event of a fire. For more information, visit www.fpw.org. Additional Fire Prevention Week resources for children, caregivers, and educators can be found at Sparky.org and SparkySchoolhouse.org.