While statistics change all the time, there are some basic facts you should be aware of, courtesy of our friends at the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA):
In 2012-2016, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (53%) of the home fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
Almost three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (40%) or no working smoke alarms (17%).
No smoke alarms were present in two out of every five (40%) home fire deaths.
The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (12.3 deaths vs. 5.7 deaths per 1,000 fires).
In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, more than two of every five (43%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25%) of the smoke alarm failures.
Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25%) of the smoke alarm failures.
