•  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
9. NFPA REQUIRED PROTECTION
The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 72 provides 
the following information:
Smoke Detection - Where required by applicable laws, codes, 
or standards for the specified occupancy, approved single- and 
multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed as follows: (1) In 
all sleeping rooms Exception: Smoke alarms shall not be required 
in sleeping rooms in existing one- and two-family dwelling units. 
(2) Outside of each separate sleeping area, in immediate vicinity of 
the sleeping rooms. (3) On each level of the dwelling unit, includ-
ing basements Exception: In existing one- and two-family dwelling 
units, approved smoke alarms powered by batteries are permitted.
Smoke Detection - Are More Smoke Alarms Desirable?  The 
required number of smoke alarms might not provide reliable early 
warning protection for those areas separated by a door from the 
areas protected by the required smoke alarms.  For this reason, it 
is recommended that the householder consider the use of addi-
tional smoke alarms for those areas for increased protection.  The 
additional areas include the basement, bedrooms, dining room, 
furnace room, utility room, and hallways not protected by the 
required smoke alarms.  The installation of the smoke alarms in 
the kitchen, attic (finished or unfinished), or garage is normally 
not recommended, as these locations occasionally experience 
conditions that can result in improper operation.
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