Smoke Alarm USER'S MANUAL 0976

7.LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS

WARNING: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY

• NFPA 72 states: Life safety from fire in residential occupancies is based primarily on early notification to

occupants of the need to escape, followed by the appropriate egress actions by those occupants. Fire

warning systems for dwelling units are capable of protecting about half of the occupants in potentially

fatal fires. Victims are often intimate with the fire, too old or young, or physically or mentally impaired

such that they cannot escape even when warned early enough that escape should be possible. For

these people, other strategies such as protection-in-place or assisted escape or rescue are necessary.

• Smoke alarms are devices that can provide early warning of possible fires at a reasonable cost; how-

ever, alarms have sensing limitations. Ionization sensing alarms may detect invisible fire particles (asso-

ciated with fast flaming fires) sooner than photoelectric alarms. Photoelectric sensing alarms may

detect visible fire particles (associated with slow smoldering fires) sooner than ionization alarms. Home

fires develop in different ways and are often unpredictable. For maximum protection, Kidde recom-

mends that both Ionization and Photoelectric alarms be installed.

• Abatterypoweredalarmmust haveabatteryof thespecifiedtype, ingoodcondition andinstalledproperly.

• A.C. powered alarms (without battery backup) will not operate if the A.C. power has been cut off, such

as by an electrical fire or an open fuse.

• Smoke alarms must be tested regularly to make sure the batteries and the alarm circuits are in good

operating condition.

• Smoke alarms cannot provide an alarm if smoke does not reach the alarm. Therefore, smoke alarms

may not sense fires starting in chimneys, walls, on roofs, on the other side of a closed door or on a dif-

ferent floor.

• If the alarm is located outside the bedroom or on a different floor, it may not wake up a sound sleeper.

• The use of alcohol or drugs may also impair one’s ability to hear the smoke alarm. For maximum pro-

tection, a smoke alarm should be installed in each sleeping area on every level of a home.

• Although smoke alarms can help save lives by providing an early warning of a fire, they are not a sub-

stitute for an insurance policy. Home owners and renters should have adequate insurance to protect

their lives and property.

8. GOOD SAFETY HABITS

DEVELOP AND PRACTICE A PLAN OF ESCAPE

• Install and maintain Fire extinguishers on every level of the home and in the kitchen, basement and

garage. Know how to use a fire extinguisher prior to an emergency.

• Make a floor plan indicating all doors and windows and at least two (2) escape routes from each room.

Second story windows may need a rope or chain ladder.

• Have a family meeting and discuss your escape plan, showing everyone what to do in case of fire.

• Determine a place outside your home where you all can meet if a fire occurs.

• Familiarize everyone with the sound of the smoke alarm and train them to leave your home when they

hear it.

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