Posted by Carol Rea on August 05, 19103 at 09:56:36:
In Reply to: Are Your Smoke Alarms Loud Enough? posted by Camille Rubio on August 03, 19103 at 19:38:10:
I appreciate the concern over smoke alarms as the media has jumped on this issue all over the country, however I feel that the answer isn't louder or more complicated alarms but education and, most importantly, home fire drills.
If children have a chance to go over their home escape plans, hear what the smoke alarms sound like, and physically experience fire drills, they're far more likely to respond quickly and properly. Just like the ice cream truck or the alarm clock, physically repeating the trigger, like a smoke alarm AND the appropriate response, means that the smoke alarm is not likely to be ignored.
If children still do not respond to the sound, or are too young or disabled, parents need to build that factor into their home escape plan and be ready to access the sleeping child's bedroom from an alternate direction, possibly through the window, if smoke/flames have blocked the hallway.
Feel free to help spread the word about this side of what is a very important issue!