Residential fires have been the topic of several headlines in the Tri-State area recently. Sadly, these structure fires, ranging from homes to large apartment complexes, have taken several lives. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):
- 1 in 320 homes per year have reported fire damage in the last five years
- On average, 7 people die each day in the U. S. from fires in home structures
- Half of home fire deaths were caused by incidents reported between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am
- No smoke alarm or non-working smoke alarms were present in 60% of all home fire deaths
ADVANTAGES OF A MONITORED FIRE SYSTEM
Automatic dispatch
Half of home fire fatalities were reported during the night while most of us are sleeping. Imagine being awakened from a deep sleep by your smoke detector. For a moment, there could be utter confusion:
- What’s that sound?
- Where are the children?
- Where is the fire?
- Can I use the closest door to exit the home?
When we finally figure out what the noise is, our next priority is to get our family out safely. The last thing you are worried about is finding a phone. With a monitored system, the central station will dispatch the fire department immediately. This immediate dispatch is even more crucial, if medical assistance is required or the home is located in a rural area!
Cost Effective
NFPA recommends that standard smoke detectors be installed in the kitchen, basement, inside and outside of every room. Because these non-monitored devices are stand alone, the family sleeping upstairs or on the opposite side of the house, may not hear the first alarm. Therefore it is important to have many devices, especially in extended areas like long hallways and outside of bedrooms. However a monitored system is interconnected. Therefore if one device is activated, the whole system will sound. With this inter-communication, the amount of devices necessary to alert occupants, may be reduced compared to the common non-monitored fire devices. If you already have a security system, fire devices including smoke alarms, heat detectors and carbon monoxide detectors can be added for the cost of equipment and monitored for as little as $1 per month. Having a security system also allows you to receive a discount through most insurance companies. You may be surprised at the discount you receive which can offset the monthly cost on a monitored security system.
Equipment Checks
No need to set reminders to change the batteries or test the devices monthly to ensure they are working. Communications on a properly monitored system, will be programmed to test every day. This automatic test will alert the monitoring station of any trouble and initiate a call from your provider to schedule service. Finding the reason behind the problem, whether it is a dead battery or to a completely failed device can be done immediately so that your system continues to work properly.
Our assessments are always free. Contact us to schedule a time to look at your property and provide an estimate.
