 Children and Smoke Alarms (Detectors)
In comments made at the launching of the "Tribute
to Heroes" fire safety campaign in April 2002, U.S.
Fire Administrator R. David Paulison urged Americans to do
three things: "install smoke alarms and make
sure they are working. Plan an escape route. And do a home
fire safety walkthrough."
In spite of recent news events about children sleeping
through them, smoke alarms and home escape planning are
still a vital part of survival from fire. Smoke alarms
have been and still are the cornerstone of fire safety
technology in the home.
Statistics point to a fifty percent reduction in
fire fatalities since the introduction of smoke alarms
into the home. The vast majority of fatal fires
(60 percent) occur in homes without smoke alarms. And a
majority of those deaths that occur in homes with smoke
alarms are a result of dead or missing batteries.
However, the recent news events remind us of the need
to continue research in fire safety and seek to improve on
successful technologies such as smoke alarms. The USFA has
recognized the need for a vigorous and timely exchange of
information between the nation's fire safety stakeholders.
It is important that the USFA and its fellow fire safety
related organizations share information in order to
analyze and disseminate appropriate and accurate
information to the public and fire safety education
specialists throughout the United States.
USFA and its partners are currently reviewing existing
literature and studies from both foreign and domestic
sources. USFA is also looking to identify and support
relevant testing groups on this issue. Partners, such as
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL), are currently
reviewing criteria for establishing such testing.
What is imperative at the moment is for our citizens
to understand the need not to rely solely on smoke alarms
as the entire answer to escaping from fire. These recent
news events serve to reinforce the need for home escape
planning. Smoke alarms are a tool in the planning process.
Parents need to clearly understand their supporting roles
in the escape plan. After going over the plan with your
family, you should conduct a walkthrough of the plan. When
you feel comfortable with your plan, hold a fire drill at
night (activate your alarm) while your children are
sleeping so that you and they can determine the
appropriate response to a smoke alarm.
Smoke alarms and automatic sprinklers do save lives but
they are just tools in the home escape process. We will
continue to conduct research and promote new fire safety
technologies but families need to remember that while
technology is an integral part of the process, the
maintenance of that technology (e.g. regular testing,
replacing batteries, etc.) and incorporating planning and
participation in their use will be the key to saving
lives.
|
