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8. Good Safety Habits
• Familiarize everyone with the sound of the smoke alarm and train them to
leave your home when they hear it.
• Practice a fire drill at least every six months, including fire drills at night when
family members are asleep to see who responds. If someone doesn't wake
up, assign an adult to wake and assist that individual in the event of a fire.
Kidde recommends that parents plan on alerting and assisting children.
Practice allows all occupants to test your plan before an emergency. It is
important they know what to do.
• Current studies have shown smoke alarms may not awaken all sleeping
individuals, and that it is the responsibility of individuals in the household
that are capable of assisting others to provide assistance to those who may
not be awakened by the alarm sound, or to those who may be incapable of
safely evacuating the area unassisted.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE ALARM SOUNDS
• Leave immediately by your escape plan. Families have on average less than
three minutes to escape a fire, so don't waste time getting dressed or
picking up valuables.
• In leaving, don't open any inside door without first feeling its surface. If hot,
or if you see smoke seeping through cracks, don't open that door! Instead,
use your alternate exit. If the inside of the door is cool, place your shoulder
against it, open it slightly and be ready to slam it shut if heat and smoke
rush in.
• Stay close to the floor if the air is smoky. Breathe shallowly through a cloth,
wet if possible.
• Once outside, go to your selected meeting place and make sure everyone is
there.
• Call the fire department from your neighbor's home - not from yours!
• Don't return to your home until the fire officials say that it is all right to do so.
There are situations where a smoke alarm may not be effective to protect
against fire as stated in the NFPA Standard 72. For instance:
a) smoking in bed
b) leaving children home alone
c) cleaning with flammable liquids, such as gasoline
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