Working smoke alarms in your home can reduce the chance of dying in a fire by 50 percent. Those are odds you can live with! Smoke alarms alert you that a fire has started and give you ample time to escape. Since most fire deaths occur at night while people are sleeping, it is important to install working smoke alarms in the home to give you and your family enough time to get out of the house safely. Each residence should have a working smoke alarm on each level of the home and in or near each bedroom.

Maintenance: Test your smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button. If you have standard nine-volt batteries (not 10-year batteries), a good rule of thumb is to replace your batteries twice a year when you change your clock in the spring and the fall. If your alarm ?chirps,? replace the battery immediately. If you have hard-wired alarms, battery back-up is required in case of a power failure. Vacuum or dust your smoke alarms according to manufacturer?s directions to keep them working properly. Replace your entire smoke alarm after ten years.

If you are a post resident and have problems with your detectors please contact your village Housing office. If you live off post and cannot afford smoke alarms or are unable to install them, please contact your local fire station for assistance. Remember, if you are renting, your landlord is responsible for providing smoke alarms.