Smoke alarms play a very important role in keeping your family safe during a fire. We recommend changing your smoke alarm batteries every 6 months. Don't wait until you hear the "chirp" before you replace your smoke alarm batteries. Be prepared for the unthinkable.

According to the

National Fire Protection Agency

:

"Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half."

The NFPA also recommends testing your smoke alarms every month to ensure they are working properly.

Prepare an escape route in case of a fire and practice once a month with children.

The American Red Cross

recommends teaching children the noise they will hear when a smoke alarm announces a fire.

• Change your smoke alarm batteries every 6 months or at least once a year.

• Change all of your batteries at the same time to keep them all on the same schedule.

• Dust around your smoke alarms once every 6 months to help keep the sensor free from dust.

• Test your smoke alarms once a month to ensure they are working properly.

• Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years.

• Buy extra smoke alarm batteries just in case the chirping starts when you least want it to.

Be prepared!

Joe Filter is a proud member of the National Fire Protection Agency