PHOENIX — Valley fire departments are reminding residents to check their smoke alarms. Volunteers went door-to-door on Saturday, offering to install and replace them for free.
The National Fire Protection Association says people often unplug the alarms when they hear a beep and forget to replace them later. They recommend testing alarms once a month by pressing the "test" button and replacing them every ten years.
If you have a large home, officials recommend adding extra alarms and putting them on every level of the house. Volunteers say remembering to change out the batteries could be the difference between life and death.
"That could be my niece, it could be a cousin it could be anyone, a neighbor," Arturo Hernandez with the Arizona Burn Foundation said. "We take it personally and that's what we do to prevent these types of things."
Residents who took advantage of Saturday's free service said it gives them a sense of relief knowing they're now prepared in case of a fire.
"Much better, especially because it's an older home," Tim Akers said, who had two alarms replaced and a third alarm added to his home.
Officials also recommend cleaning smoke alarms regularly by vacuuming them with a brush attachment.
