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CFD Offers Free Smoke Detectors and CO Alarms
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| Each year the Chambersburg Fire Department installs hundreds of free smoke detectors in residences within the Borough. We want to insure that each occupancy has the proper amount of working smoke detectors for early detection. Whether you need one or eight, these detectors are installed by CFD firefighters and provided at ZERO costs to Borough residents, no matter if you own or rent your home or apartment. Not only are these detectors installed and provided for free, but they also have a 10 year lithium battery so there is no more messing around with battery changes every six months. The National Fire Protection Association reports that each year there are over 350,000 home structural fires in the United States, which unfortunately also accounts for over 2,600 civilian deaths. Many of these fires start by unattended cooking, improper usage of heating appliances, or the overloading of electrical distribution systems within homes. Having a properly installed and operating smoke detector is essential for early detection of a fire which could be a matter of life or death. Modern day fires burn quicker and produce highly toxic gases that can quickly overcome individuals within their home. Each year, almost sixty-five percent of fire deaths in residences occurred where there were no smoke alarms or alarms that were made inoperable by removing the battery. How often should you test your smoke alarm? Each smoke alarm should be tested once every month to ensure that the battery is not dead and that the alarm is operating properly. To test your smoke detector, hold down the test button until you hear a loud alert tone. In some cases, you may need to press the button again to turn the alarm off. During the testing process the manufacture date of the alarm should be noted as the life expectancy of smoke alarms is around ten years. Newer homes have interconnected alarms that if one goes off, all of them go off. Follow all manufacture recommendations when replacing smoke alarms. An additional recommendation is to look for alarms that have ten year lithium batteries that do not need replaced every six months, and to look for alarms that have a “hush” feature where the alarm can be silenced for a few minutes if an unintentional activation occurs. This “hush” feature is on many modern alarms to prevent someone from deliberately disabling the alarm and in return it not properly notifying in a true emergency. In addition to testing the smoke alarm, they also should be vacuumed at least once every six months in order to remove any dust buildup and cobwebs. When vacuuming smoke detectors, make sure to use a soft brush attachment around and along each of the vents. After each cleaning, the alarm should be tested again to verify it is operating as it should. Each family should also develop a fire escape plan of their home. This escape plan should have a primary exit as well as a secondary exit in case one is blocked by smoke and fire and should include a pre-arranged meeting place. Routinely reviewing this escape plan as well as practicing day and night could save valuable seconds when escaping a home fire. These plans should be reviewed with house guest and updated if renovations take place within the residence. In addition to free smoke detectors, the Chambersburg Fire Department also provides at ZERO costs Carbon Monoxide/Gas Detectors. Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height. Choose a CO alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department. If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door and make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel declare that it is safe to re-enter the home. If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow. During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up. If you are a resident in the Borough of Chambersburg please contact the Chambersburg Fire Department for more information on smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide alarms, free address signs, or fire safety in your home. Please contact the station at 717-263-5872 and on-duty personnel will be able to assist with more information. |