Defensible Space

Fire Safe Landscaping

Building Materials

Street Signs and Addresses

Access to Your House

Emergency Water Supply

Smoke Detectors

Portable Fire Extinguishers

Home Sprinkler Systems

Plan Your Escape

Emergency Wildfire Survival Checklist

Smoke detectors have saved many lives, and may save yours. More than 50 percent of fatal residential fires take place at night when people are sleeping. If a fire starts while yoru family is asleep, smoke detectors will wake you up. They can make the difference between life and death in a fire emergency.

Position smoke detectors on the ceiling just outside each bedroom. If you have a multi-level home, install a detector on every level. If you sleep with your bedroom door closed, place an additional detector inside your bedroom.

Before you buy a smoke detector, make sure it is listed and approved by an independent testing laboratory and the State Fire Marshal. Read the instructions enclosed with your smoke detector carefully to find out exactly how and where to install it. Be sure to test your smoke detector each month and change its batteries twice a year. A good habit to follow is to change the batteries in your smoke detector in the spring and fall when you change yoru clocks.

Adapted from www.firesafecouncil.org