Install Fire Sprinklers in Your Home
Home fire sprinklers work very quickly, and speed during a fire is important! They can keep a fire smaller longer giving people more time to escape to safety. Residential sprinklers put out 90% of fires in the home before the Fire Department is able to arrive at the scene. This prevents the fire from spreading to other areas of the home, thus preventing further damage and protecting people inside from harm.
Remember, always call 911 from outside the home if there is a fire, whether fire sprinklers are installed or not!
Planning & Practicing Home Fire Escape Drills
When fire strikes you may have less than 1 minute to get out of the building. Knowing what to do can make the difference between life and death.
- Planning and practicing home fire escape drill scan reduce your chance of injury or death.
- Children practice fire drills in school, so should you!
Smoke Detector 101
Smoke detectors come in 2 common types ionization and photoelectric.
Ionization Smoke Detectors
Ionization smoke detectors feature a harmless radioactive source within a dual detection chamber. Ionization detectors respond quickly to invisible ionized particles in the air, for example; smoke, dust, or steam. They operate by sensing for a change in the electrical conductivity across the detection chamber. The advantage of the ionization detector is it is quicker at detecting flaming fires while at the same time cheaper in cost (under $10). However, more nuisance alarms are caused by dust, steam, and cooking. They should not be located within 20 feet of a kitchen or bathroom
Photoelectric Smoke Detectors
Photoelectric smoke detectors work on an entirely different principle. Photoelectric detectors use a light (LED) and a sensor inside the detection chamber. When a sufficient amount of smoke fills the detection chamber, the smoke scatters the light. Some of the light hits the sensor in the detection chamber and sounds the alarm. Photoelectric detectors are better at sensing smoky fires and usually have less false alarms, however they cost a little more ($25-$35). Only the photoelectric type should be used within 20 feet of a kitchen or bathroom.
