Smoke Detector a MustThis early warning system is a "must have." Whether you call it a smoke detector or a smoke alarm, this early warning system is a must have.
As firefighters, our job should be to ensure that every home has at least one working smoke alarm. The preference of course is to have smoke detectors located throughout the house to provide optimum coverage. We know that most fire fatalities are a result of people succumbing to smoke and not being able to escape the flames.
Smoke KillsThere are two ways that smoke kills. The first is when a fire occurs while a person is sleeping. If the individual fails to wake up, the smoke becomes so thick that it eventually removes the majority of oxygen from the room. Should the family member not wake up in time, they will suffocate in their sleep. In addition to suffocation, smoke kills families by obscuring their vision As the amount of smoke builds, it begins to darken the room. It quickly reaches a point where visibility is very limited and finding the way out of the house becomes almost impossible. Hopefully they will have the presence of mind to stay low. However, once the smoke completely fills the room, they will be unable to escape to fresh air and will eventually perish. Horrible DeathSadly, dying in a smoke-filled house is a very agonizing death. In addition to obscuring vision, the smoke is also detrimental in that it burns the eyes and irritates the mouth,throat and nose.As the smoke reaches the lungs it causes coughing and gagging. Depending on the intensity and location of the fire, the family member may also encounter super-heated air. As this extremely hot air is inhaled, it burns the throat and respiratory tract, causing the airway to swell and close. Even worse, depending on how fast the fire spreads, the person could literally burn to death. It only takes seeing one body that has been severely burned to realize that is not the way you want to die.
Early WarningThe good news of course is that a smoke detector can provide an early warning to the family.The main function of a smoke alarm is to alert the family members of the presence of smoke or fire. Given enough of a head start, the family should be able to exit to safety once the smoke alarm is activated.
BenefitsIn addition to being a virtual life-saver for family members and pets, a smoke alarm also saves property.Due to the early notification, the fire department is alerted while the fire is still relatively small. By getting the firefighters to the scene sooner, the amount of damage done to the home is reduced. The other benefit is firefighter safety. Obviously, the sooner we can arrive to fight the fire, the better the conditions. Through the early notification of the smoke alarm, the amount of fire, smoke and heat should be considerably less. The less time a firefighter is engaged in hazardous conditions, the greater the chance of avoiding injury. As you can see, a working smoke alarm is a win/win for all involved. Every fire department should actively educate the public on the many benefits that smoke detectors provide.
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