Homeowners Don't Know Fire Safety Basics, Survey Finds

According to NFPA, a properly functioning smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half. NFPA statistics also indicate that the primary reasons smoke alarms fail to operate in home structure fires are batteries that are missing or disconnected (50%) or dead/discharged (23%).

Yet, a recent Kidde survey, conducted by Kelton Research, reveals a striking reluctance among homeowners to act when warned of low battery power in smoke alarms. Of survey respondents (more than 1,000 owners of homes 10 years or older):

• 53% say that a smoke alarm low-battery chirp is annoying, but 33% say that if they heard the chirp, they would not be extremely likely to replace the battery within 24 hours.
• 7% admit that they would be more likely to disconnect the alarm than install a new battery.

The Kidde survey also shows that homeowners are concerned about the risk of fire in their homes, but don't know the basics about keeping their homes safe.

• 74% cannot correctly describe where smoke alarms must be placed in the home.
• 58% cannot correctly answer that batteries should be changed every 6 months, while 68% believe they should be changed less frequently.
• 43% say they do not know how often to replace smoke alarms.
• 25% say they have never replaced their home's smoke alarms.