Smoke alarms sense smoke and/or heat and sound an alarm to warn residents of a fire. Almost every day a smoke alarm saves somebody's life.

Lithium powered smoke alarms have non-removable power cells that last for ten years and provide a solution to the problem of missing or dead batteries in smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms for the deaf or hard-of-hearing. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot depend on the sound of the regular alarm to alert them to a fire. There are now a variety of smoke alarms on the market that combine sound and strobe lights to alert those with limited hearing that there is a fire in the home.

Fire extinguishers can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or controlling it until the fire department arrives.

Residential sprinkler systems can control or extinguish fires before they spread. This adds valuable time needed to escape from a fire. When the heat of a fire raises the sprinkler temperature to its operating point, that single sprinkler will open, releasing water directly over the source of the heat. A fire sprinkler system costs about the same as carpeting your home.

Fireplace screens need to be in front of fireplaces whenever a fire is burning.

Appliances with automatic turn-off switches are available. Be sure your curling irons, regular irons, and coffee makers have an automatic turn off feature. This feature gives peace of mind and prevents fires.

Fire and Life Safety Books for Children - A list of books that reinforce fire and life safety messages is available on line at: http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/booklst.pdf
Educational materials are the most productive tool in fire prevention. There are books, videos, software, and other educational materials available. Remember fire life safety education begins at an early age and lasts for a lifetime. Check with a local bookstore or your local fire department.

Home Escape Plan – Develop a home escape plan. Draw a floor plan of your home including windows and doors. Mark two ways out of each room. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. A home escape plan grid is provided by the National Fire Protection Association at: http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/FPWgrid03.pdf