Every year when the colder weather hits the number of house fire calls in Spokane County go up.
About every 88 seconds, there is a house fire somewhere in the Unites States. Once fires begin, and the smoke alarms are triggered, household residents have an average of about 2-3 minutes to get out safely.
That’s why it is important to have smoke alarms properly installed throughout your home, according to EWU Emergency Management.
A smoke alarm should be positioned on every level of a home, with one in each sleeping area, and another one in the hallway outside of each sleeping area. This will increase the chances of you and your loved ones getting out safely, the Emergency Management team says.
Additionally, if you have smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older, please look at replacing them. You can determine the age of a smoke alarm by looking at the manufacturing date on the back.
While most retailers carry a variety of smoke alarms, many local fire departments keep stock on hand to help residents who need additional alarms, or need to replace outdated ones. Below are numbers for area departments that you can contact for help with free fire alarms:
City of Cheney Fire Department: 509.498.9291
City of Spokane Fire Department: 509. 625.7058
Spokane Valley Fire Department: 509. 892. 4153
