Alarm Yourself
A working smoke alarm can mean the difference between life and death. Smoke alarms are designed to wake you up in the event a fire starts in your home. If a smoke alarm is working it will provide the necessary warning and the time needed to escape from your home and away from the fire.

The Washington State Landlord - Tenant Law requires that a working smoke alarm be properly installed in your apartment when you move in. Maintaining that smoke alarm is your responsibility. A smoke alarm can only protect you if it is working. By maintaining your smoke alarm(s) you can cut your risk of dying in a home fire by as much as half.

Make certain your smoke alarms work when you need them. Follow these steps:

1. Install smoke alarms near all of the sleeping areas in the home. Smoke alarms are designed for one function - to wake people up in the event of a fire during the night.

2. Check your smoke alarms on a regular basis to make certain they still work. Although smoke alarms are in 92% of American homes, nearly one-third do not work because of worn or missing batteries.

3. Change your smoke alarm's batteries once a year. Changing these batteries once a year is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce your risk of suffering a death or injury from a fire in your home.