Not every fire emergency has a happy ending. But more often than not, people make it out of burning buildings alive, with or without the help of monitoring. It’s that one instance in which a family member is trapped, unconscious, or in need of help that the true value of a monitored fire alarm system comes to light.
This tragic story shows just how important a monitored fire alarm system can be in those crucial moments during an emergency:
[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKE9nCTBLbw” width=”680″]Fire Alarm Systems Have Come a Long Way in the last 100 Years
Over the last century, there has been a major decline in fatal fires in the U.S. This is largely thanks to the invention of smoke alarms, monitored fire detection systems, fire suppression equipment, a decline in smoking, safer electrical connections, more stringent building codes, and better firefighting equipment.
Sixty-five percent of fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms, but fortunately nearly 95% of people have at least one smoke alarm in their home. This is a huge accomplishment and shows that people take protecting their family from fire seriously.
When Smoke Alarms Aren’t Sufficient
While we cannot stress enough just how important it is to have smoke alarms in your home, there are many scenarios in which a monitoring agent could mean the difference between life and death. Likewise, it’s important to consult with a professional to help strategize the placement of fire detection throughout a home.
Sometimes people succumb to smoke inhalation and don’t wake up when a fire breaks out. An elderly person might wake to dark, smoke filled room and be too confused to escape or call for help. These are the sorts of instances in which having a monitoring agent call for help as soon as the fire breaks out could potentially save lives.
What Does a Monitoring Agent Do to Help During a Fire?
When a fire is detected in a home, the monitoring agent immediately calls the occupants. If they reach someone that is in the home, they confirm with that individual whether the situation is an emergency or just a false alarm. If the monitoring station is unable to reach anyone at the property, they treat the situation as a fire.
The first step is to contact local emergency dispatch to send out fire fighters to the scene. Monitoring agents can provide important information, like how many family members might be inside the house. Once fire fighters arrive on scene, they decide what happens next.
Why Monitored Fire Alarm Systems Are So Important?
The most important reason to have a monitoring station is a scenario in which someone is actually home and unable to call for help or respond to the monitoring agent. Things can be replaced, but saving lives is the reason to have a monitored fire alarm system.
At night, a house fire might go on for quite some time before a neighbor notices the blaze, and by then it may be too late. Every second counts during a fire emergency.
Fire Alarm Resources in the St. Louis Area
The St. Louis Fire Department is the second oldest fire department in the U.S. and provides the public with a number of educational opportunities and information related to fire safety. In the past, the American Red Cross has provided free smoke alarms for families in the St. Louis area that can’t afford them.
Contact Butler Durrell Security if you’d like to learn more about monitored fire alarms or to request that a technician make a professional assessment of your home St. Louis home.
