smoke alarms

Protecting your home is simple: Change, Check, Count and Clean!

• Change Your Smoke Alarm Batteries!

The California City Fire Department encourages you to change Smoke Alarm batteries at least once each year. An easy way to remember is to change these batteries when you change your clock back to Standard Time each Fall. Replace old batteries with fresh, high quality batteries to keep your Smoke Alarms ready to protect you all year-long.

 

• Check Your Smoke Alarms!

After inserting fresh batteries in your Smoke Alarm, make sure the Alarm is working by activating the safety test button. The California City Fire Department recommends that you test all of your Smoke Alarms at least once each month. If you have any doubt regarding the working condition of a Smoke Alarm, we recommend you replace it.

• Count Your Smoke Alarms!

You should have a properly functioning Smoke Alarm in every sleeping room -and- in the hallway directly adjacent to those rooms. If sleeping rooms are on an upper level, a Smoke Alarm must also be installed in the center of the ceiling directly above the interior stairway.It's best to have at least one working Smoke Alarm on every level of your home. To assure optimal protection and avoid false alarms, your Smoke Alarm must be mounted properly. You'll find simple instructions included with every Smoke Alarm you purchase. Should questions remain, we encourage you to visit or contact the Fire Department.

• Clean Your Smoke Alarms!

Help your Smoke Alarm remain sensitive and ready to protect you by gently using a vacuum cleaner once a month to remove dust and cobwebs. If your Smoke Alarms have been accidentally painted or contaminated, replacement may be necessary.

 


Don't let this happen to you!

HOW TO DISPOSE OF YOUR DETECTOR

In  addition to being concerned for the safety of our citizens,  we're concerned for  the environment as well.  In an effort to guide  citizens to do the right thing,  here are some general smoke detector  disposal guidelines that can assist you in  making the best eco friendly  decisions about your old detector.

Like most electronic devices smoke detectors have a failure point and don't last forever.  When fire/smoke detectors fail, proper disposal of most detectors becomes an issue since they usually contain a small amount of radioactive material that enable these devices to work.  Landfills typically frown upon accepting any items containing even trace amounts of radioactivity, so the question becomes, "how do I get rid of it safely?"  Lets explore a couple of options.

For additional manufacturer information:

TO RECYCLE THE DETECTOR

This in lieu of disposal in your trash or incinerator. General guidelines for recycling of electronics (eCycling), can be found within the FEMA sponsored Fire Administration TechTalk PDF article found at the following site:

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/research/techtalk/index.shtm

(Once the article is downloaded, refer to page 4 specifically for information about eCycling and its related links.

In addition to information about eCycling, there is more technical information about the disposal of fire/smoke alarms that you might find beneficial within this article).

According to resources at Kern County's Waste Management Special Waste division, most local landfills have an eCycling reception center. For residents of Cal City, Kern County's Hazardous Waste facility at the Mojave Airport (open the first Sat. of every month from 9-12:00) can also accept the old/faulty detectors. If you have any additional questions, you can contact the county's Special Waste Division @ 661 862-8922; they can give you additional details. As stated, the California City Fire Department cares about your safety. Use, maintain AND dispose of your fire/smoke alarms properly; doing so might save your life and save the environment.

INSTALL FIRE EXTINGUSHERS!