October is Fire Prevention Month, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue reminds you to check your smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms help save lives by providing an early warning so you and your family can get outside quickly in the event of a fire in your home.

TVF&R is teaming up with the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal and the National Fire Protection Association to promote this year’s educational campaign, “Smoke Alarms: Make them work for you.”

The majority of people who die in a fire succumb to heat and smoke inhalation, not flames. Having working smoke alarms in your home greatly increases your chances of surviving a fire.

 Fire is nothing like what you see on television or in the movies. It produces dark and deadly smoke that can fill your home in minutes and can confuse you to the point that you never make it out. That is why every firefighter wears an air pack before entering a burning building. 

Most fatal fires happen at night when people are sleeping. Working smoke alarms are designed to activate early to help ensure you and your family have time to safely escape from your home.

TVF&R offers the following advice to help protect your family:

• To ensure maximum protection, install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities. Smoke alarms are available that use strobe lights or vibration to alert residents.
• Check your alarms every six months by pushing the test button and replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.
• Smoke alarms that also provide carbon monoxide detection may require devices to be replaced every seven years.
• Hard-wired alarms — those wired directly into home electrical systems — should have a battery back-up.
• Never disconnect or remove batteries from smoke alarms.
• An alarm’s hush button allows you to temporarily silence the device if it’s false alarm.
• Develop and practice a fire escape plan with the entire family that includes designating a meeting place outside.
• If your smoke alarm sounds, immediately exit your home, call 911, and stay outside.

Oregon law requires working smoke alarms in all rental dwellings. If you rent and do not have working smoke alarms, contact your landlord or property manager.