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Removing batteries to silence "false alarms" can be a fatally bad decision |
(NC)—If you've ever been tempted to remove the batteries from your smoke alarm to silence the screeching caused by a steaming pot or shower or burnt toast, remember this frightening statistic: in a major Canadian city over a nine-month period,
(NC)—If you've ever been tempted to remove the batteries from your smoke alarm to silence the screeching caused by a steaming pot or shower or burnt toast, remember this frightening statistic: in a major Canadian city over a nine-month period, in nearly 60% of fires where people died, smoke alarm batteries had been removed or there was no smoke alarm installed at all.
"Smoke alarms are intended to give people time to escape their home in the event of a fire when precious seconds count," says Carol Heller, vice-president of Kidde Canada, North America's leading manufacturer of fire safety products. "So while taking batteries out to silence a false alarm might seem like a smart thing to do, it is often a fatally bad decision."
The problem, Heller points out, is that people remove batteries and then forget to put them back in. Or they temporarily remove the smoke alarm from the ceiling and then forget to re-install it. This leaves their family at great risk.
New smoke alarms come equipped with a "Hush" button that allows homeowners to silence a false alarm temporarily. By pushing the "Hush" button, the alarm stops for 7-10 minutes, which allows time for the steam, or smoke from burnt food to be cleared. The alarm will re-sound if a real fire is detected, and, if all is clear at the end of the "Hush" period, the alarm resets itself.
Other tips for dealing with nuisance alarms can be found on a web site sponsored by the Ontario Fire Marshal at www.makeitstop.ca. and also at www.safeathome.ca.
Credit: www.newscanada.com |
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