Batteries + Fire Safety
Power - by Jessica Carey - updated on 10/5/2012
Batteries Plus is helping to educate consumers about fire and smoke alarm safety as a part of National Fire Prevention Week (October 7-13, 2012). This year's theme from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) opens in new window is "Have 2 Ways Out!"
We want to ensure that residents are protecting themselves and their families before tragedy strikes. So we are urging every household and family to have a functioning smoke alarm. Keep your family safe with the following tips:
- Ensure you are testing smoke alarms monthly.
- Replace smoke alarm batteries annually.
- Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
- Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in home fires by half.
- Missing or non-functioning smoke alarms account for almost 62 percent of home fire deaths. Seventy-five percent of smoke alarm failures are caused by missing, dead or disconnected batteries.
- A short, low beep every 60 seconds indicates the battery is low and needs to be replaced.
- Install a minimum of one smoke alarm outside every bedroom and in every sleeping area. If it is a two-story house, install at least one per floor.
- Choose a smoke alarm that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories opens in new window (UL).
- If you or someone in the household is hearing impaired, choose a smoke alarm that includes a built in strobe light providing both audible and visible signals.
- Even if your smoke alarm is connected to your home's electrical system, you still need a backup battery in case of power outages.
- Lithium batteries are an excellent choice for smoke alarms because they last longer and are more reliable than alkaline batteries. Batteries Plus offers the Ultra Life Battery UPVL-X smoke alarm batteries designed to last up to 10 years without being replaced.
- Batteries Plus also has a large selection of regular and extended-life alkaline batteries if your smoke alarm uses AA or AAA batteries.
Batteries Plus provides versatile 9V batteries for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, along with thousands of other batteries for items like cell phones, emergency/exit signs, flashlights and UPS back-ups, all of which are essential items to have in case a fire emergency strikes. We also have access to over 10,000 unique light bulb types, including those that should be replaced in emergency/exit signs and flashlights. If you need a new flashlight, we stock the widest selection of handheld flashlights, lanterns, head lamps and industrial flashlights for your needs.
