Hear the Beep Where You Sleep

Ocean City Fire Department Reminds Worcester County Residents:

Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND – :  Location matters when it comes to your smoke alarm. That’s the message behind the 2015 Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!”

Along with firefighters and safety advocates nationwide, the Ocean City Fire Department is joining forces with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week.  The purpose of Fire Prevention Week, which is held October 4-10, is to remind local residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

“Seconds count in a fire,” said David Hartley, Fire Marshal for the Town of Ocean City. “Half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.”

According to NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, three out of five fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting place.
• Call the fire department from outside the home.

The Ocean City Fire Department will be hosting activities during Fire Prevention Week at local elementary schools to promote “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!” Through these educational activities, students will learn about the importance of having a working smoke alarm in every bedroom.  To learn more about smoke alarms and “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!” visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org and www.sparky.org/fpw.