Safety For You: Change Your Clocks, Check Your Alarms Safety, WKZO,
28
Oct 2020

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Play the interview with Ken Lanphear and Michael McLeieer on the WKZO AM 590 and FM 106.9 Morning Show from 8:30 am 10/28/2020.

Sunday, November 1st is the time to move your clocks back one hour to standard time.

It’s also a great opportunity to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and make sure they are working properly.

The National Fire Protection Association reports that 71% of smoke alarms which failed to operate had missing, disconnected or dead batteries, making it important to take this time each year to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms double the chance of a family surviving a home fire and/or an unsafe carbon monoxide level incident.

 

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E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety encourages you to use this checklist to find out if you are taking the right steps to protect your family:

1. Count Your Smoke Alarms – Be sure there is at least one smoke alarm less than 10 years old installed on every level of your home, including one in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area.

2. Change Your Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries – Fire experts nationwide encourage people to change their smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries at least once a year. An easy way to remember to do so is to change the battery when you move the clock back to standard time November 1st. Alarms which have a sealed, long-life battery should be good for the life of the alarm (10 years), however they should be tested at least monthly to make sure they are functioning properly.

3. Check Your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Alarms – After inserting a fresh battery in each smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, push the safety test button to make sure the alarms are in proper-working condition. Conduct this test monthly. Never disconnect your smoke alarm battery! Remember that a “chirping” alarm is a signal it needs a fresh battery or has reached the end of its 10-year life and needs to be replaced.

4. Clear Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms – Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms’ sensitivity by cleaning them each month of dust and cobwebs.

5. Replace Your Smoke Alarms – The United States Fire Administration recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years and having a combination of both ionization and photo electric smoke alarms to alert you to all types of home fires.

6. Change Your Flashlight Batteries – Keep flashlights with fresh batteries at your bedside for help in finding the way out and signaling for help in the event of a fire.

7. Get the Entire Family Involved – Once smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have fresh batteries installed, you should make sure family members, children in particular, know what the alarms sound like and what to do should they go off…Get Out and Stay Out and then call 911 from a safe meeting place once outside!

8. If you need a free smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, contact your local fire department. Many fire departments offer free smoke alarms to local residents.

By following these important reminders, we’re Keeping Michigan S.A.F.E.™ Sometimes saving a life can be that simple – Change Your Clocks and Check Your Alarms!

 

 

Smoke Alarms For Everyone – Michigan S.A.F.E. on WKZO AM 590 MI SAFE, Safety, WKZO, ,
09
Mar 2018

KZO LOGO

The Morning Show with Ken Lanphear talks with Firefighter Michael McLeieer of E.S.C.A.P.E. and the Michigan State Firemen’s Association about a new statewide campaign that will prevent home fires, connect families with resources and keep Michiganders S.A.F.E.!  If you have questions about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms or fire safety, please call 1-844-978-4400 or email [email protected]!

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Change your clock, change your battery to stay safe Safety, WKZO, , ,
04
Nov 2016

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E.S.C.A.P.E.‘s President and Founder Firefighter Michael McLeieer talks with Jim McKinney on Kalamazoo’s Morning News on WKZO AM 590 about this weekend’s time change.  When we “fall back” 1 hour this weekend with our clocks, we should also replace the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to keep everyone safe!

 

‘Spring ahead’ for fire safety Operation Save A Life, Safety, , , , , ,
07
Mar 2015

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When was the last time you checked your smoke alarm? Since January 1, Michigan ranked #2 in the country for home fire deaths. These deaths have occurred in homes that did not have working smoke alarms. E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety reminds you that properly installed and maintained smoke alarms on every level of your home are the only mitigation devices that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you’re awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke.

Take the opportunity when you “spring ahead” on Sunday March 8 to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace the batteries as needed.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

There are many different brands of smoke alarms available on the market, but they fall under two basic types: ionization and photoelectric.

It cannot be stated definitively that one is better than the other in every fire situation that could arise in a residence. Because both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms are better at detecting distinctly different, yet potentially fatal fires, and because no one can predict what type of fire might start in a home, the United States Fire Administration recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with:

  • Both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR
  • dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors

In addition to the basic types of alarms, there are alarms made to meet the needs of people with hearing disabilities. These alarms may use strobe lights that flash and/or vibrate to assist in alerting those who are unable to hear standard smoke alarms when they sound.

Smoke alarms are powered by a battery or they are hardwired into the home’s electrical system. If the smoke alarm is powered by battery, it runs on either a disposable 9-volt battery or a non-replaceable 10-year lithium (“long-life”) battery. A backup battery is usually present on hardwired alarms and may need to be replaced.

These batteries must be tested on a regular basis and, in most cases, should be replaced at least once each year (except for lithium batteries).

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Many fatal fires begin late at night or early in the morning, so the U.S. Fire Administration recommends installing smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas.

Since smoke and many deadly gases rise, installing your smoke alarms at the proper level will provide you with the earliest warning possible. Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Smoke alarms are not expensive and are worth the lives they can help save. Ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms cost between $6 and $20. Dual sensor smoke alarms cost between $24 and $40.

Some fire departments offer reduced price, or even free, smoke alarms and may install battery operated smoke alarms in your home at no cost. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information or e-mail [email protected] for more details on a smoke alarm installation program close to Where You Live!

For more information regarding fire safety and smoke alarms including maintenance and suggested replacement guidelines, please visit the U.S. Fire Administration’s Smoke Alarms website.