Fire departments across the country are stressing the importance of having working smoke detectors in your home.
It’s National Fire Prevention Week, and local Fire Prevention Officer Trevor Schwabe says people should check their detectors are working every month, as they’ve proven to be critical in recent house fires.
“Up in Crystal Lake, that large fire where a lot of the homes got damaged, there was one couple that was alerted by their smoke alarm, and they were able to exit safely and effectively just due to the early notification that there was a fire.”
Many people are accustomed to checking their smoke detector at Daylight Savings Time, but they’re pushing the message that every month is safer.
He also recommends having a working smoke detector on each floor of your home, as well as in each bedroom.
This week is also a reminder to practice your family’s escape plan, with two ways out of every room and emergency fire escape ladders in second storey bedrooms.