As we turn our clocks ahead to begin Daylight Saving Time, the member companies of the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association urge all residents to also test your smoke alarms. Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half.

There are many recent improvements in smoke alarm technology that homeowners should be aware of. Consumers now have a choice between Ionization-Type Smoke Detectors and Photoelectric-Type Smoke Detectors. Ionization smoke detection is generally more responsive to flaming fires, while Photoelectric smoke detection is generally more responsive to fires that begin with a long period of smoldering (called "smoldering fires").Since you can not predict the type of fire you may have in your home or when it will occur, for best protection, it is recommended both (ionization and photoelectric) technologies be in homes.

Also available are Wireless Interconnected Smoke Alarms. In older homes that do not have hard wired interconnected smoke alarms, these devices afford a similar level of protection. If one smoke detector activates, all of the wireless interconnected smoke alarms in the residence will sound an alarm. Additional information is available on these devices at local home improvement stores or on the smoke alarm manufacturers web sites.

Much research has been performed on the ability of children and others to awaken to smoke alarms in an emergency. Due to the findings of this research, there are now smoke alarms with a recorded parental voice message that children may respond to quicker. Also, for those individuals suffering from hearing loss there are devices available which utilize strobe lights and tactile notification devices.

And where would we be without batteries to power these smoke alarms? Well, once again technology has been improved in this area also. Smoke alarms have a functional life of approximately 10 years, at which time the entire smoke alarm should be properly discarded and replaced with a new device. Now there are smoke alarms available with 10-year non-replaceable batteries so that regular testing is all that is required for the useful life of the alarm.

As you can see, smoke alarms have come a long way since their introduction into the home fire safety arena. Even though a 2008 survey found that 96% of U.S. households had at least one smoke alarm, in 2003-2006 no smoke alarms were present or none operated in two out of the five (41%) of the reported home fires. Also, almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2003-2006 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Smoke alarm installation and maintenance is not difficult, and your local Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Company will be glad to assist in providing and installing smoke alarms in your home. To contact any of the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Companies click on the "Links" selection to the left to find the company closest to you.

Information for this article provided by and further information on smoke alarms available from       www.nfpa.org.