Welcome to CAL FIRE

Smoke Alarms

Change Your Clock - Change Your Battery

Most fatal fires occur at night. Every home needs working smoke alarms to provide an early warning. Install smoke alarms in all sleeping rooms, hallways that lead to sleeping areas, basements and each additional level of your home. Smoke alarms should be mounted on the ceiling 4” from the wall; wall mounts should be 4-12” from the ceiling. Do not install near draft areas (windows, vents.).

 

Call your local fire department if you are unsure about placement. A good time to remember to check your smoke alarm and change the batteries is when you change your clocks twice a year as daylight savings time begins and ends. Prepare and practice an escape plan! Crawl low under smoke. Plan where to meet outside. Once you’re out, Stay out! Remember, almost every day a smoke alarm saves somebody’s life.

Cooking with Care

Smoke Alarm Quick Tips

  • Test smoke alarms once a month
  • Replace batteries in smoke alarms twice a year
  • Regularly vacuum or dust smoke alarms to keep them working properly
  • Don’t disable smoke alarms even temporarily

 

Remember, almost every day a smoke alarm saves somebody’s life.