User's Manual

21
Important Fire Safety Information
Be prepared for fire emergencies:
Plan Your Escape
• Draw a floor plan of your home.
• Show two ways out of each room.
• Discuss escape routes with everyone in your home.
• Agree on an outside meeting place where you’ll gather after escaping.
Be Prepared
• Familiarize every member of the household with the sound of the Smoke
and Heat Alarms.
• Have everyone in the home memorize the fire department’s emergency
phone number.
• Instruct each person to call the emergency number from a neighbor’s
phone or a mobile phone used outside the home.
• Teach everyone to unlock and open all windows, and release security bars.
• Make sure security bars are equipped with quick-release devices.
• Keep exits clear and free from clutter.
Practice!
• Hold home fire drills at least twice a year.
Get Out and Stay Out
• Once you’ve escaped from a fire, do not go back inside for any reason.
• Make fire drills realistic by pretending some escape paths are blocked by
smoke or fire.
If you live in an apartment building
• Learn and practice your building’s evacuation plan.
• If you hear a fire alarm, react immediately.
• Know the location of all building exits and fire alarm boxes.
• Use the stairs ... never use an elevator during a fire.
• If exits are locked or blocked, report the problem to your building’s
management.
Escape Tips
• Close doors behind you as you escape to slow the spread of fire and smoke.
• If you have to escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, keeping
your head one to two feet above the floor, where the air will be clearest.
• Test the doorknob and spaces around the door with the back of your hand. If
the door is warm, try another escape route. If the door is cool, open it slowly.
Close it quickly if smoke pours through.
22
Warning! Limitations of Smoke Alarms
Wireless smoke alarms have been proven to be both effective and reliable,
but they may not be effective under all conditions. No alarm design can offer
total protection of life and property. A smoke alarm is not a substitute for an
adequate homeowner’s fire insurance or life insurance policy.
Smoke alarms will not work without a source of power. The alarm will not
operate and the alarm will not sound if the batteries have died or been removed.
Or in the case of an AC powered alarm, the wiring has not been properly
connected.
Radio communication between alarm units may fail to take place if significant
changes to the home have occurred since installation and testing. Moving
large objects such as a refrigerator or metal cabinet could impede alarm radio
performance.
Alarm warning signal may not be heard. A deep sleeper, hearing-impaired
person, young child or someone impaired by drugs or alcohol may not awaken
in response to an alarm activation. This can occur even when an alarm is located
inside the individual’s bedroom. Be sure fire drills are practiced that take this
possibility into account.
Smoke alarms may not always activate and provide early enough warning. A
smoke alarm will only activate when it is maintained in working order and
sufficient smoke reaches the unit. Certain fires can originate inside of walls,
attics or on other side of closed doors. This may prevent smoke from reaching
the alarm.
High and flame incendiary fires might block egress. Even with properly placed
alarms, certain flaming fires might occur and grow so quickly as to block exit
from the home.
SMOKE ALARMS CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NEVER SUFFER ANY
DAMAGE OR INJURY FROM A FIRE.