Sleepy? Be sure you’re guarded by a smoke detector

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m., and three out of five of these deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms.

So, it’s common sense and obvious to everyone that having working smoke alarms in sleeping areas is vital.

That’s the message behind this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep”.

The call to action is to have a smoke detector in every bedroom.

An alarming 42 percent of about 36,000 online survey respondents were not aware that a smoke alarm should be installed in each bedroom of the home.

To help prevent that number from rising, fire departments across Maryland are using this weekend to properly educate and equip residents and their homes.

After a brief press conference at Fire Engine 28 (424 N. 30th St.), the players went out to the neighborhood surrounding the firehouse to check on smoke alarms in homes. The odds are in your favor that you will never need those extra smoke alarms, but the cost of being cheap can be incredibly, horribly costly.

When one smoke alarm sounds they all sound. Firefighters can install free smoke alarms or batteries as needed in each home to provide a critical safety tool.

Smoke alarms should be tested every month and replaced after 10 years.

There are two kinds of alarms. Photoelectric alarms are quicker to warn about smoldering fires.

A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.

Unless smoke alarms have a long life sealed battery, replace batteries twice a year when we change our clocks.