Don’t W
ait - Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years. That’s the battle cry from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Even though most insurance coverage protects your property against losses caused by a fire or lightning, a little bit of prevention will go a long way to keeping you and your family safe from fire.
According to the NFPA, odds are your home has a smoke alarm – most American homes have at least one. But do you know how old your smoke alarms are? If you’re like most people, you’re probably not so sure. That’s why NFPA wants you to check your smoke alarms; and if they are more than 10 years old, they should be replaced.
A recent survey conducted by NFPA revealed that only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, or how often they need to be replaced. That lack of awareness is a concern for your local fire department and NFPA, along with fire departments throughout the country, because smoke alarms don’t last forever.
To find out how old your smoke alarm is and its expiration date, simply look on the back of the alarm where the date of manufacture is marked. The smoke alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date (not the date of purchase). Smoke alarms should be tested monthly, and batteries should be replaced once a year or when they begin to chirp, signaling they’re running low.
Remember the song we all learned as a kid? –
One dark night while we were all in bed
Mrs. O’Leary left a lantern in the shed.
And when the cow kicked it over,
She winked her eye and said
There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight. 
No one knows for sure whether or not Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was responsible for the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but it might have had a different ending if smoke alarms had been around. The inferno killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire, which began on October 8, continued into and did most of its damage on October 9. Fire Prevention Week began in 1922 as a result of the fire, which this year is Oct. 9 – 16.
For more information on smoke alarms and this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years”, visit Fire Prevention Week - About Fire Prevention Week.
If you have any questions about your insurance coverage, please don’t hesitate to contact Randall Hall Insurance Agency. We strive to answer all your questions as well as provide you with the best coverage at low rates. You can also drop by our office on Midlothian Turnpike. We are open 9 – 5, Monday through Friday.