Location matters when it comes to your smoke alarm. That’s the message behind this year’s Fire Prevention Month campaign, “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!”

Along with firefighters and safety advocates nationwide, the Bismarck Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Month, to remind local residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

“In a fire, seconds count,” said Ron Kunda, Fire Marshal. “Half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.”

According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, three out of five fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on
every level of the home, including the basement.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. This way, when one sounds, they
all do.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond
properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands
what to do when they hear it.
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting
place.
• Call the fire department from outside the home.

The Bismarck Fire Department will be visiting each school in Bismarck during Fire Prevention Month to promote “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!” Through these educational activities, students will learn more about the importance of having a working smoke alarm in every bedroom.

To learn more about Fire Prevention Month and take an online quiz, please go to the Bismarck Fire Department website at www.bismarcknd.gov/fire or to the NFPA website at www.firepreventionweek.org.