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4. Call the Fire Brigade from a
neighbour’s house or mobile phone.
Remember to give your name and
address.
5. NEVER re-enter a burning house.
10. SMOKE ALARM & RF LIMITATIONS
10.1 Limitations of Smoke Alarms
Smoke Alarms have significantly helped to reduce the number
of fire fatalities in countries where they are widely installed.
However independent authorities have stated that they may
be ineffective in some circumstances. There are a number of
reasons for this:
• Smoke Alarms will not work if the batteries are depleted or
if they are not connected. Test regularly and replace the
entire unit when it fails to operate.
• Smoke Alarms will not detect fire if sufficient smoke does
not reach the alarm. Smoke may be prevented from reach-
ing the Alarm if the fire is too far away, for example, if the
fire is on another floor, behind a closed door, in a chimney,
in a wall cavity, or if the prevailing air draughts carry the
smoke away. Installing smoke alarms on both sides of
closed doors and installing more than one smoke alarm as
recommended in this leaflet very significantly improve the
probability of early detection.
• The Smoke Alarm may not be heard.
• Radio link may not work due to interference or the signal
being blocked by furniture, renovations etc.
• A smoke alarm may not wake a person who has taken
drugs or alcohol.
• Smoke Alarms may not detect every type of fire to give suf-
ficient early warning. They are particularly ineffective with:
fires caused by smoking in bed, escaping gas, violent
explosions. poor storage of flammable rags and/or liquids,
(for example petrol, paint, spirits etc), overloaded electrical
circuits, arson, children playing with matches.
• Smoke Alarms don’t last indefinitely. The manufacturer rec-
ommends replacement after 10 years as a precaution
• Use the Smoke Alarm Test Button to familiarise your family
with the Alarm sound and to practice fire drills regularly with
all family members. Draw up a floor plan that will show each
member at least 2 escape routes from each room in the
house. Children tend to hide when they don’t know what to
do. Teach children how to escape, open windows, and use