The Boulder City Fire Department has asked me to urge everyone to know how old your smoke alarms are and to replace them every ten years. Most homes have at least one smoke alarm, but if yours doesn’t, then please make it a priority to install these inexpensive life-saving devices.
Of course, just having smoke alarms isn’t enough. If they don’t work, they won’t help you. So, do you know how old yours are? Unfortunately, most people don’t. A recent National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) survey revealed that only a small percentage of us know how old our smoke alarms are or how often they should be replaced. That lack of awareness is a big concern of our Fire Department, since the reality is that alarms don’t last forever.
Because it’s a matter of life and death, the Fire Department is making an effort to educate us about the importance of smoke alarms and their useful life limit. Most of us probably aren’t aware that the National Fire Alarm Code requires smoke alarms be replaced every ten years. Consequently, many of us have expired smoke alarms, which increases the risk that they won’t work when we need them most.
So, just in case you missed NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait, Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every Ten Years,” allow me to remind you how critical it is that you know how old each alarm is and replace it before it’s tenth birthday. To find out your alarm’s age, simply look on the back for its manufacture date. Then, replace it ten years from that date (not the date of purchase).
Remember, smoke alarms should be tested at least monthly and batteries replaced annually (or sooner if the alarm’s chirp signals a low battery charge).
Finally, if you need help replacing batteries and/or installing new smoke alarms, don’t forget to take advantage of the City’s smoke alarm replacement program made possible by the generous support of Copper Mountain Solar. For more information, contact the Fire Department at 702-293-9228.
To contact Mayor Woodbury, you can email him at rwoodbury@bcnv.org. |
