Facts about Smoke Alarms
Smoke Alarms Save Lives!
Brampton Fire and Emergency Services will provide, install or check smoke alarms and batteries for senior citizens and anyone else in the City of Brampton who, for any reason, can’t provide this service for themselves. Please contact our Life Safety/Education Division for details.
A working smoke alarm is, by far, the single most important device that you can have in your home to prevent fire tragedy. Minutes and even seconds can make the difference between life and death. Anyone, including you, can die in a fire!
This is a simple message, but we continue to see fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms!
If your smoke alarm sounds, alert all other occupants and leave the area immediately! Every second counts, so don’t waste time collecting valuables or getting dressed.
City of Brampton By-Law #108-91 requires you to install and maintain at least one smoke alarm on each storey, including the basement, in all residential units.
Install smoke alarms on the ceiling or six to eight inches below the ceiling on side walls. Since smoke and many deadly gases rise, installing your smoke alarms at the proper level will warn you as early as possible. Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Two types
The two major types are ionization and photoelectric.
Power supply
You can operate both types of alarms with batteries or wire them into your home’s electrical system. We recommended that, for battery-operated units, you use only fresh alkaline batteries and that you replace them at least once per year.
Ionization alarms
You’re most like to install these alarms in your home. Ionization smoke alarms react more quickly to a free-burning fire, such as a pot of grease or a wastepaper basket on fire. They are usually inexpensive and provide a good degree of protection. Several studies have shown that this type of alarm may be slow to react to a smoldering type of fire, such as a cigarette left in a couch.
Photoelectric Alarms
These alarms are less common than the ionization type, but generally are more effective in detecting a smoldering fire. They are generally not as quick to react to a free-burning fire situation and are a little more expensive to buy.
Combination ionization and photoelectric alarms are also available, but may be more difficult to find. Ask your retailer for help in finding a specific type.
Brampton Fire and Emergency Services Recommends
Type and Location
- For increased protection, install both photoelectric and ionization type alarms outside each sleeping area as close to the bedrooms as possible.
- City of Brampton By-Law #108-91 requires that you install and maintain one or more smoke alarms on each storey, including the basement, of all residential units.
- Install smoke alarms outside each sleeping area near the bedrooms to protect the exit path, because bedrooms are usually furthest from the exits.
- You should develop a home escape plan and practice it often.
Testing and maintenance
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Test and maintain smoke alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions. We suggest that you test smoke alarms at least monthly by carefully placing smoke beside the alarm. Some safe sources of smoke are: a cigarette; a smoldering piece of cotton string; or an aerosol product that you can buy for testing alarms.
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Install a new battery in the smoke alarm at least once each year under normal operating conditions. Keep alarms clean and free of dust by using compressed air or a vacuum cleaner hose to clean the openings around the edge of the alarm.
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After installing a new battery or cleaning the alarm, test it to make sure that it is still working.
Smoke Alarm Statistics - Ontario Statistics (1995 to 1997)
Fewer people die in home fires when a smoke alarm or detector is present and activates:
- Smoke alarm present and activated: 12 deaths / 1000 home fires
- No device / alarm did not activate: 17 deaths / 1000 home fires
- In some cases, people die in fires even though the smoke alarm activated.
Here’s why:
13% - suicides/homicides
21% - clothing fires
26% - device not in area of origin
20% - victim is physically challenged
16% - alcohol a factor
1% - victim re-enters fire scene
1% - unattended infant
2% - unknown
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In some fires where people died, smoke alarms were present but did not activate. Eightly-five per cent of the cases where the smoke alarm did not activate resulted from a dead or missing battery or power source.
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The leading fire death scenarios continue to be home fires caused by:
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Smoking materials that ignite upholstered furniture in a living area at night.
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Smoking materials that ignite bedding in a sleeping area at night.
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Cooking equipment left unattended in the kitchen at night.
In these scenarios, a working smoke alarm can make a difference between life and death.
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