Working smoke alarms save lives and should be tested each month is part of this year’s campaign for Fire Prevention Week. The National Fire Protection Association states working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half and two-thirds of home fire deaths were in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. According to the State Fire Marshal, last year 112 Iowans were saved by properly working smoke detectors.

It is recommended to have a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of a home. Also, alarms should be tested monthly and alarms over 10 years old should be replaced. So far this year, 30 people in Iowa have died in fire related incidents.