Although 13 of every 14 homes have at least one smoke detector, almost half of home fires and three out of five fire deaths occur in the share of homes with no detectors. Hundreds of people still die each year in home fires where smoke detectors aren't present.

In addition, there are now more homes with smoke detectors that don't work than homes without detectors at all. These poorly maintained units create a false sense of security among occupants. Approximately one-third of homes with smoke detectors that experience fires have smoke detectors that aren't working, and hundreds of people each year die in these fires.

Tragically, the grave importance of installing and maintaining smoke detectors has not yet been fully realized. Most people who die in home fires are not in the room where the fire starts; working smoke detectors alert people to fire and give them time to escape in a situation where minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives

Having a smoke detector cuts your chance of dying nearly in half if you have a home fire. By properly placing, regularly testing and maintaining your detectors, you can ensure that they are in fact working and will alert you if a fire breaks out. Make sure you only buy those detectors that bear the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Some detectors operate using an "ionization" sensor, while others use a "photoelectric" sensor. An ionization detector uses an extremely small quantity of radioactive material to make the air in the detector chamber conduct electricity. Smoke from a fire interferes with the electrical current and triggers the alarm. A photoelectric detector uses a tiny light source shining on a light sensitive sensor. The alarm is triggered when smoke from a fire interferes with the light. All tested and labeled smoke detectors offer adequate protection if they are properly installed and maintained.

Make Placement a Priority

A recent NFPA report on smoke detectors found that there is a substantial number of households that do no have the devices on every level of the home, as needed. The majority of fire deaths occur at night when people are asleep. NFPA's National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72) says homes must have smoke detectors on every level of the home - including the basement - and outside each sleeping area. New homes are required to have a smoke detector in each sleeping area as well.