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Last updated on Friday, October 14, 2016
(BEDFORD) - The Lawrence County Firemen’s Association presents Fire Prevention Day, Saturday at Revere’s Convenience Store.
The event will be held from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and is free to attend. There will be fire engines for children to see, games, free food and a smokehouse for children to crawl through.
"Don't Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years" is this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign, October 9-15, 2016. The focus on smoke alarm replacement comes as the result of a recent survey conducted by NFPA, which showed that only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are or how often they need to be replaced.
The National Fire Protection Association Fire Alarm Code, requires smoke alarms be replaced at least every 10 years.
"But the public is generally unaware of this requirement, many homes likely have smoke alarms past their expiration date, putting people at increased risk in the event of a home fire," says Shawswick Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Bob Brown. "Smoke alarms play an essential role in home fire safety, but they have to be working properly in order to protect people."
According to an NFPA report, in one-fifth (20 percent) of all U.S. homes with smoke alarms, the smoke alarms aren't working; three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without smoke alarms (38 percent) or with no working smoke alarms (21 percent).
"People tend to assume that simply having smoke alarms in their home ensures adequate protection from fires, but it takes regular testing and maintenance to ensure that they are working properly," says Brown.
Brown says the age of a smoke alarm can be determined by looking for the date of manufacture on the back or side of the alarm, and to replace the units 10 years from that date.
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