The Dangers of A Broken Fire Alarm

When a hazard occurs, such as a fire, a quick response is the only way to?get to safety. However, most people aren't always paying attention to their surroundings.

When a fire breaks out, people only have seconds to get themselves in the right frame of mind to avoid disaster. That is why a quality fire alarm is required by law, as most people need a quick jolt to get themselves ready to face a life-or-death situation.

It is also why property managers cannot leave a broken fire alarm alone. When a fire alarm is not replaced properly, people lose those precious seconds that they need to get to safety. In practice, that can be the difference between making it to the closest escape and having it cut off by flames and toxic fumes.

Fire Alarms and Smoke Detectors Save Lives

In roughly 40 percent of fire-related deaths, no working smoke detector or fire alarm was present in the building. In many of those situations, having a working smoke detector instead of a broken fire alarm would have given the victim a much better chance of getting to safety.

Statistics show that when a working fire alarm is present, the occupant's chances of making it out alive increase by 50 percent.

This is because fire alarms are difficult to ignore. When a piercing noise cuts through the silence, it is hard to focus on anything but that. In a life-or-death situation, shifting complete focus to the task at hand is often crucial to getting to safety.

Fire Alarms Can Catch Early Signs of Fires

Modern fire alarms do not really need to have the presence of a fire in order to alert people of a problem. When in working order, today's fire alarm systems can constantly test the air in the building to ensure it does not have traces of carbon monoxide or other gases associated with a raging fire.

Some of the gases present in a fire cannot be smelled or seen, but they can cause injury or death. A working fire alarm is the only reliable way to spot these dangers before they cause problems.

Fire Alarms Work In Tandem With Each Other

Most buildings do not have a uniform structure, which means multiple alarms are needed in hard-to-reach places. When a building is constructed, the spaces for fire alarms are placed strategically to maximize the efficiency of an alarm should one become necessary.

Having a broken fire alarm undermines this system. When one or more fire alarms are not working properly, that leaves wide spaces of the building without proper notification of an impending fire. By the time a person hears an alarm coming from another room or another section of the building, they might already have their exit from the building choked off.?

The best thing to do is to test fire alarms regularly and make sure to repair or replace them if one is broken. If an emergency arises, replacing a fire alarm could be the thing that prevents it from becoming a disaster.

Getting Started

The importance of testing and fixing a broken fire alarm cannot be understated. A working fire alarm will save lives and catch the beginnings of a fire in your property.

To ensure your fire alarm is working properly, give?Fire Protection, Inc.?a call today to get your system inspected.