According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five fire deaths occur in houses without smoke alarms, or with smoke alarms that no longer work. Without a doubt, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives. However, in order to work; they must have a fresh set of batteries.
Between 2009 and 2011, an estimated 362,300 unintentional residential fires occur, which result in 12,820 injuries, 2,260 deaths, and approximately seven billion dollars in property damage, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
According to the United States Census Bureaus American Housing Survey for 2011, three out of four houses across the nation reportedly changed the batteries to their smoke alarms every six months. These batteries must be replaced at least once a year, while the CPSC also recommends testing alarms once a month to insure they are working properly.
It is highly recommended to place smoke alarms on each level of your house, outside sleeping areas, and inside each bedroom. By doing so, it could prevent injuries and fatalities from occurring to your loved ones.
Equally as important as fire alarms are carbon monoxide alarms. In fact, each year between 2007 and 2009, there were almost 170 carbon monoxide deaths caused from consumer products including home heating systems and generators.
Known as the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is odourless and invisible, while it can come from many different sources and kill its victims without warning.
These alarms should be installed on each level of your house, along with outside sleeping areas, while they also will need a fresh set of batteries each year, and be tested each month to insure they are operating correctly.
Greg Monforton & Partners – Windsor, ON injury lawyers.