Health Tip: Install Smoke Detectors at Home

(HealthDay News) — Installing smoke alarms in your home is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your family.

The American Red Cross advises:

  • Place smoke alarms throughout the home, including in rooms where people sleep, on each level and outside each bedroom.
  • Make sure children know what a smoke detector sounds like, and that they know what to do if they hear one.
  • Perform monthly tests on your devices, changing batteries at least annually. Get new smoke detectors every ten years.
  • Never turn off a smoke detector.
  • Don’t use a carbon monoxide alarm in place of a smoke detector. They serve different purposes. Know how they both work and why both are needed.