PUBLIC INFORMATION:
May 31, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kaycee Lagarde
850-435-1623
klagarde@cityofpensacola.com
Pensacola Fire Department Urges Residents to Check Their Smoke Alarms
City Residents Encouraged to Call PFD at 850-436-5200
to Schedule a FREE Smoke Alarm Installation
The Pensacola Fire Department would like to remind residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in your home, which can play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. City of Pensacola residents are encouraged to call PFD at 850-436-5200 to request a FREE smoke alarm and installation assistance. County residents may call Escambia County Fire Rescue at 850-595-HERO (4376) for assistance.
Important fire safety and smoke alarm information from the National Fire Protection Association:
- Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home.
- A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.
- Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound.
- Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.
- Test your smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.
- Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms.
- When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
- Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years.
- Click here for more information about the installation and maintenance of home smoke alarms.
Smoke alarm statistics from NFPA:
- Smoke alarms were present in three-quarters (74%) of reported home fires in 2014–2018.
- Almost three out of five home fire deaths were caused by fires in properties with no smoke alarms (41%) or smoke alarms that failed to operate (16%).
- The risk of dying in reported home structure fires is 55% lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes with no alarms or none that worked.
- In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, two of every five (41%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
- Dead batteries caused one-quarter (26%) of the smoke alarm failures.
To learn more about smoke alarms and fire safety, visit the NFPA website.