This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” represented the final year of our three-year effort to educate the public about basic but essential elements of smoke alarm safety.
Why did we focus on smoke alarms three years in a row? Because NFPA’s survey data shows that the public has many misconceptions about smoke alarms, which may put them at increased risk in the event of a home fire. For example, only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, or how often they need to be replaced. Read more from NFPA Journal.
As a result of those and related findings, in 2016, we addressed smoke alarm replacement this year with a focus on these key messages:
- Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
- Make sure you know how old all the smoke alarms are in your home.
- To find out how old a smoke alarm is, look at the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm; the alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date.
Get the answers to some frequently asked questions about replacing your smoke alarms.
Teach FPW
You can still take the opportunity to introduce Fire Prevention Week to students, members of your community and high-risk populations. NFPA has several free downloads for you to use, including:
See all of NFPA's FPW teaching materials.