Smoke, Heat and Freeze Protection
Copyright © 2016 Nortek Security & Control 23
Do Not Mount a Smoke Alarm Here:
•Directlyaboveasink,cooker,stove,oroven
•Within5feet(1.5m)ofanycookingappliance
•Nexttoadoororwindowthatwouldbeaffectedbydrafts(extractorfanorairvent)
•Outside
•Inorbelowacupboard
•Whereairflowwouldbeobstructedbycurtainsorfurniture
•Wheredirtordustcouldcollectandblockthesensor
•Whereitcouldbeknocked,damaged,orinadvertentlyremoved
Fire‐warningequipmentforresidentialoccupanciesarecapableofprotectingabout50%of
theoccupantsinpotentiallyfatalfires.Victimsincludetheelderly,children,andthephysically
ormentallyimpaired.Victimsincludeanypersonswhocannotescapeevenwhenwarned
earlyenoughthatescapeshouldbepossible.Forthesepeople,other
strategiessuchas
protection‐in‐placeorassistedrescueorescapewouldbenecessary.
•StudiesshowthatSmoke/Heat/FreezeAlarmsmaynotawak enallsleepingindividuals.
Individualsinthehouseholdwhoarecapableofassistingothersareresponsiblefor
providingassistancetothosewhomaynotbeawakenedbytheaudiblealarmorthose
whomaybeincapableofsafelyevacuatingtheareaunassisted.
•Abattery‐poweredalarmmusthavethespecificbatterytypeinstalled,beingood
condition,andbemountedproperly.
•Theuseofalcoholordrugsmayalsoimp airtheabilitytoheartheaudiblealarm.For
maximumprotection,ensurethatanaudiblealarmisinstalledoneveryfloor.
•Smoke/HeatAlarmsonlyprovideprotectiontotheresidenceifsmokeactuallyreachesthe
alarm.TheSmoke/HeatAlarmisnotasubstituteforaninsurancepolicy.Homeowners
andrentersshouldhaveadequateinsurancetoprotecttheirproperties.
Emergency Action Plan
Establishandregularlypracticeaplanofescapewithallmembersofyourhouseholdinthe
eventoffire.TheNationalFireProtectionAssociationrecommendsthefollowingsteps:
1 Mountyourdetectororyourinteriororexteriorsounderswheretheycanbeheardbyall.
2 Determinetwomeansofescapefromeachroom.Onepathofescapeshouldleadtothe
doorthatpermitsnormalexitfromthebuilding.Theothershouldbeanalternateescape
(suchasawindow)shouldthepathtoadoorbeimpassable.Stationanescapeladderat
suchwindowsif
thereisalongdroptotheground.
3 Sketchafloorplanofthebuilding.Showwindows,doors,stairs,androoftopsthatcanbe
usedtoescape.Indicateescaperoutesforeachroom.Keeptheseroutesfreefrom
obstructionsandpostcopiesoftheescaperoutesineveryroom.
4 Ensurethatallbedroomdoorsareshutwhileyouareasleeptopreventdeadlysmoke
fromenteringwhileyouescape.
5 Trythedoor.Ifthedoorishot,checkyouralternateescaperoute.Ifthedooriscool,open
itcautiously.Bepreparedtoslamthedoorshutifsmokeorheatrushesin.
6 Whensmokeispresent,crawlontheground.Donotwalkupright,sincesmoke risesand
mayovercomeyou.Clearerairisnearthefloor.
7 Escapequickly,butdonotpanic.
8 Establishaplaceoutdoors,awayfromyourhouse,whereeveryonecanmeetandthen
takestepstocontacttheauthoritiesandaccountforthosemissing.Choosesomeoneto
assurethatnobodyreturnstothehouse—manydiegoingback.