Page 18 - Red Alert

RED ALERT - DETECTION

Sometimes fires will start accidentally so you need to know how to react to them

Smoke Alarms
One of the most frightening things about fire is that we often do
not know that it is happening. By making sure that our families
fit smoke alarms we can ensure an early warning system which
will give us extra minutes to escape from the house.

Smoke alarms are gadgets about the size of an adult’s hand.
They are fitted to ceilings and make a loud alarm noise to
warn us if they detect any smoke. Alarms can be bought from
DIY shops, hardware stores and some supermarkets. They
cost between £5 and £10. It is important that your smoke
alarms have the British Standard Kite Mark on them. This
shows that they are good quality alarms.

It is important that we have at least one working smoke alarm
on each storey. Do not put alarms in or near the bathroom or
kitchen as the steam or burnt toast etc. will set them off
continually.

When your parents fit a smoke alarm
remind them to:

1. Fit it on the ceiling as close as
possible to the centre of the room.
2. Fit it where it can be heard upstairs
and downstairs - better still, fit two!
3. Check the alarm battery once a
week by pressing the test button.
4. Change the alarm battery once a
year and vacuum the dust from
the inside of the alarm.

16