Home Safety through Smoke Alarms
Most home fires involving a fatality happen at night when people are sleeping. Contrary to popular belief, the smell of smoke may not wake a sleeping person. Poisonous gases and smoke produced by fire numb the senses, putting victims into a deeper sleep.

Smoke alarms sound an alarm, alerting those who are sleeping to fire. By providing time to escape, smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in home fires by half. Most new homes have smoke alarms installed. The Orange County Fire Authority urges all owners of older homes to install them as well.

Smoke alarms should be placed outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Install alarms in or near living areas, such as dens, living rooms, dinning rooms or family rooms. Alarms are not recommended for kitchens, bathrooms, or garages--where cooking fumes, steam, or exhaust could set off false alarms.

Hardware and home supply stores are the best places to purchase smoke alarms. Most alarms can be installed using only a drill and screwdriver. It is imperative that smoke alarms be maintained. Batteries should be changed at least once a year and should never be taken out of the alarm for another use. Cleaning is also important. Dust and cobwebs can reduce an alarm's sensitivity to smoke.