What Saves Lives

• After prevention, smoke detectors are your first line of defense against fire and can cut the risk of dying in a home fire nearly in half.
• Approximately 88 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm. However, these alarms are not always properly maintained and as a result might not work in an emergency. There has been a disturbing increase over the last ten years in the number of fires that occur in homes with non-functioning alarms.
• It is estimated that over 40 percent of residential fires and tree-fifths of residential fatalities occur in homes with no smoke alarms.
• Smoke contains carbon monoxide, which puts you to sleep. When you are asleep, you may not smell smoke. Smoke detectors are designed to wake you up.

Statistics from United States Fire Administration web site.