BOTETOURT, Va. – Fire Prevention Week runs from Oct. 3 to 9 and this year’s theme is “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety.” From beeps to chirps, this year fire departments are working to better educate the public about the sounds smoke alarms make, what those sounds mean, and how to respond to them.
This week, firefighters from Botetourt Fire and EMS are going to different schools and community groups to talk about fire safety. They will talk about the importance of
“So when they come home from school they will talk about it and look at their own plans for their own house and it gets the conversation started and gets that information out there,” said Gary Fisher with Botetourt Fire and EMS.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms in the home reduce the risk of dying in a reported fire by more than half. However, almost three out of the five home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that are not working properly.
Here are the sounds to look out for:
- If you hear constant beeps, that means the alarm has detected smoke and it is time to exit the building or home as quick as possible.
- If your alarm begins to chirp, it may mean the batteries are running low and need to be replaced.
- If the alarm continues to chirp after the batteries are replaced, or the alarm is more than 10 years old, it is time to replace the alarm. Fisher recommends testing the smoke alarms once a month to make sure you and your family are safe.
For more information about Fire Prevention Week, click here.