Smoke detectors: Do you know your expiration date?

During Fire Prevention Week, the Tahoe Fire Fuels Team is reminding Lake Tahoe Basin residents that this is the time to check your smoke alarm.

Even if you change your batteries in the old style alarm annually, their life expectancy is still ten years. The new sealed smoke detectors which are required in new building codes require no battery change but they too are expected to only last ten years.

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 Lake Tahoe Fire Departments and the NFPA, along with fire departments throughout the country, because smoke alarms don’t last forever.

“Time and again, I’ve seen the life-saving impact smoke alarms can have in a home fire, but I’ve also seen the tragedy that can result when smoke alarms aren’t working properly,” says Mike Kaslin of the Amador - El Dorado Unit of CAL FIRE. “That’s why we’re making a concerted effort to educate Lake Tahoe residents about the overall importance of smoke alarms, and that they do have a life limit.”

NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code®, requires smoke alarms be replaced at least every 10 years, but because the public is generally unaware of this requirement, many homes have smoke alarms past their expiration date, putting people at increased risk.

As the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, NFPA is promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait - Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” to better educate the public about the critical importance of knowing how old their smoke alarms are and replacing them once they’re 10 years old. Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15, 2016.

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 ten years from that date (not the date of purchase). Lake Tahoe Fire Departments also say smoke alarms should be tested monthly, and that batteries should be replaced once a year or when they begin to chirp, signaling that they’re running low.

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 www.firepreventionweek.org