STATEWIDE — The Office of the State Fire Marshal is partnering with the Maryland State Fireman’s Association and the Maryland Fire Chief’s Association to have all fire and rescue departments promote the testing and installation of working smoke alarms in the State.
May 14-15, 2016 has been scheduled as the Statewide Community Risk Reduction weekend with participating fire departments across the great State of Maryland. This program has been designed as a through canvassing effort to provide fire safety education and the installations of 10 year long-life battery operated smoke alarms for the communities we so proudly serve.
Working smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nearly 70% of fire deaths result from fires in homes with non-working smoke alarms or no smoke alarms at all.
Our goal is to ensure that citizens understand the importance and value of fire safety in their lives and to help protect their quality of life by checking and/or installing new smoke alarms as needed. Chances of surviving a fire in your home are increased by 50% when working smoke alarms are activated during a fire. The early notification of these devices provides a greater opportunity to escape the effects of fire. All smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years to help ensure these devices will operate properly when the need arises.
During the smoke alarm installation program, local fire department members will spread throughout areas within their local communities in an effort to promote this life saving effort. However, no fire safety program is complete without having a fire escape plan. The entire family should plan and practice their escape routes together at least twice a year to help ensure everyone gets out safely in the event a fire occurs in the home.