NORTH DAKOTA ( KXNET ) — Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of death in a fire by 60%, according to a “ Smoke Alarms in the U.S. ” report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

This statistic strengthens the importance of Fire Prevention Week, which is happening from October 6-12, with the theme of “ Smoke alarms: Make them work for you! “

“Smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a home fire, but they have to be working in order to protect people,” said the Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA, Lorraine Carli. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign drives home just how important it is to install, test, and maintain smoke alarms to ensure they’re working properly.”

According to the findings of a survey, nearly all U.S. households report having at least one smoke alarm, which is an 88% increase since 1994. Only 61% of households test their smoke alarms, and 33% never test them.

Also found in the survey, many households have an incorrect perception about age, functionality, and maintenance for smoke alarms.

“People tend to be overconfident about their risk to fire, which often leads to a sense of complacency that compromises safety,” Carli explained. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign works to better educate people about their true risk to fire and the steps needed to make sure they’re adequately protected in the event of one.”

Fire safety measures for this year include:

• Installing alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on each level.
• Making sure alarms meet the needs of all family members.
• Testing alarms once a month.
• Replacing all alarms when they are 10 years old or don’t respond when tested.

To learn more, you can visit this website .

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