NFPA :: Research & Reports :: Fact sheets

		Smoke alarms

	Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each seperate sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
	Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
	Test smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
	See all safety tips.

Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries, and have contributed to an almost 50% decrease in fire deaths since the late 1970s.

NEW! What you should know
about smoke alarms
Our fact sheet (PDF, 639 KB) includes information on ionization vs. photoelectric technologies, nuisance alarms, and misleading TV demonstrations on smoke alarm performance.

Facts & figures

A 2004 telephone survey found that 96% of U.S. households had at least one smoke alarm, yet in 2000-2004, no smoke alarms were present or none operated in almost half (46%) of the reported home fires.
An estimated 890 lives could be saved each year if all homes had working smoke alarms.
65% of reported home fire deaths in 2000-2004 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Source: NFPA's "U.S. Experience with Smoke Alarms and Other Fire Detection/Alarm Equipment", by Marty Ahrens, April 2007

NFPA Vice President of Codes & Standards Chris Dubay talks about smoke alarms:

What are the different kinds of smoke alarms?

What kind of smoke alarm does NFPA suggest?

The most important message about smoke alarms.

In this Section:

			Smoke alarm safety tips What your family needs to know about smoke alarms.					Reports and statistics NFPA reports and other research on smoke alarms.

			Installation and maintenance tips Where to place your alarms and how to keep them working.					Children and smoke alarms Parents should ensure smoke alarms can awaken children.

			Ionization vs. photoelectric NFPA recommends using both technologies in the home.