Reading Skills for Today's Adults

Smoke alarms are very important. They sound an alarm to alert you in time to escape. Smoke alarms wake you up at night or alert you during the day to a fire. Smoke alarms save lives! 

Unfortunately, every year about 12,000 children are injured or die in fires at home. Most happen in homes without a working smoke alarm. Even though most homes have smoke alarms, about one out of every three alarms is not working or is missing good batteries. 

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To protect your family, you should:  

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• Have a smoke alarm near or inside every bedroom and on every floor or level of your home.  

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• Test the alarms once a month. Press the “test” button to see if the alarm will sound in a fire. Change the batteries twice a year. Change the batteries in the spring and fall when you change your clocks for daylight saving time. 

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• Never take the batteries out of your alarm to use for something else. You might forget to put them back. 

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• Put smoke alarms in a high place on the wall or on the ceiling. 

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• Have family members practice different ways to get out of the house during a fire. Agree on a safe place to meet outside. Never go back into a burning house. 

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• Never allow anyone to smoke inside your home.  

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• Keep matches and lighters out of reach from children.