Maryland State Fire Marshal

News Release
Martin OMalley Brian S. Geraci
Governor State Fire Marshal
ARE YOU FIRE SAFE WHERE YOU LIVE?
STATEWIDE (May 7, 2014) The State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci is asking all Marylanders,
Are you safe from the effects of fire? Fires can cc!r inside a h"e #r a "!ltit!de # reasns. The
Fire Marshal re$!ests the citi%ens # Maryland t &re&are in case a #ire '!ld cc!r 'here they li(e. The
i"&rtance and (al!e # 'rking s"ke alar"s and #ire esca&e &lans is &ara"!nt in esca&ing the e##ects
# #ire. )lease re(ie' and #ll' the listed #ire sa#ety ti&s &r(ided *el'.
Smoke alarms
Test Your Alarm for Life!
+!r s"ke alar" has the &'er t sa(e y!r li#e. ,r des it- .# y! ha(en/t tested y!r s"ke alar"
lately, it "ay nt *e 'rking. 0nd that/s a risk y! can/t a##rd t take. 1rking s"ke alar"s gi(e !s
early 'arning # a #ire, &r(iding e2tra ti"e t esca&e sa#ely. B!t they can/t d their 3* i# 'e ha(en/t
dne !rs 4 "nthly testing t "ake s!re they/re 'rking. Test all the s"ke alar"s in y!r h"e, #r the
li#e # the alar" and #r the li(es # y!r l(ed nes. S"ke alar"s 10 years ld and lder sh!ld *e
re&laced t hel& ens!re early nti#icatin d!ring a #ire e"ergency.
Whe !as the last time "ou teste# "our smoke alarms?
5ast "nth- 5ast year- 6an/t re"e"*er- .# y!/re nt s!re y!r s"ke alar"s are 'rking, then h'
can y! *e s!re y!/ll *e &rtected i# a #ire *reaks !t- 7n/t ga"*le 'ith y!r li#e and ass!"e y!r
s"ke alar"s are 'rking. Test each ne, e(ery "nth, s y!/ll kn' they/ll *e ready t &rtect y!
and y!r #a"ily i# there/s a #ire. Test y!r alar" #r li#e.
Do "ou ha$e the time?
6an y! a##rd t s&end a #e' "in!tes each "nth t test the s"ke alar"s in y!r h"e- 6an y!
a##rd nt t- Ging 'ith!t the &rtectin # a 'rking s"ke alar" is a risk t danger!s t take.
.n a #ire, y!/ll need e(ery secnd t get !t sa#ely, and the early 'arning #r" a s"ke alar" can "ake
the di##erence *et'een s!r(i(ing a #ire and dying in ne. Test y!r s"ke alar"s tday. +! can/t a##rd
nt t.
1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208
Es%a&e &lai'
Ho! mu%h time #o "ou ha$e to 'et out of a fire?
8t as "!ch as y! think. 9eal #ires are ht, s"ky and dark. +! "ay ha(e nly a (ery #e' "in!tes t
sa#ely esca&e #r" #ire. .# y!/re e(er in a #ire, dn/t s&end ti"e getting dressed r trying t gather
(al!a*les. :!st get !t and stay !t. Then call the #ire de&art"ent #r" y!r cell &hne r a neigh*r/s
tele&hne.
If "ou ha$e a fire toi'ht( !ill "ou 'et out safel"?
+!/ll ha(e a *etter chance # getting !t sa#ely i# y!/(e &lanned ahead. 7e(el& a #ire esca&e &lan and
&ractice it 'ith the 'hle #a"ily. ;(eryne sh!ld kn' t' 'ays !t # each r" and kn' 'here t
"eet !tside. Make s!re e(eryne !nderstands that getting !t is the #irst &ririty. 0nd re"e"*er, nce
y!/re !tside, stay !t.
)*et Out( Sta" Out) + Your fire safe res&ose!
1hat '!ld y! d i# y!r h"e ca!ght n #ire- 1!ld y! kn' 'here t g i# s"ke r #la"es
*lcked y!r esca&e- There is n ti"e t think a*!t these $!estins in a real #ire. .t/s ht, s"ky, and s
dark y! "ay nt *e a*le t see y!r 'n hands. <n' ahead # ti"e 'hat t d i# there/s a #ire.
7e(el& an esca&e &lan 'ith t' 'ays !t # e(ery r". +!/ll need a secnd 'ay in case y!r &ri"ary
e2it is *lcked *y s"ke r #la"es. 0nd "ake s!re e(ery e2it is accessi*le, incl!ding 'ind's. Getting
!t is y!r #irst &ririty in a #ire. 0nd nce !t, stay !t=

0 ne' Maryland la' *eca"e e##ecti(e n :!ly 1, 201> in(l(ing ?*attery nly@ s"ke alar"s !sed
in residential &r&erties. 1hen ?*attery nly@ s"ke alar"s ha(e reached their 104year li#e s&an, they
need t *e re&laced 'ith ne' long-life sealed lithium battery smoke alarms with silence/hush button
#eat!res. The silenceAh!sh *!ttn #eat!re te"&rarily disa*les the alar" s the cc!&ant can (entilate the
s&ace #r" "ild s"ke cnditins ty&ically created d!ring s"e cking &eratins. The !se # these
alar"s eli"inates the need t re&lace the *atteries d!ring the 10 year li#e # the alar".
.# y!r &r&erty is &rtected 'ith 120 (lt electric s"ke alar"s, they als sh!ld *e re&laced
e(ery 10 years 'ith ne' 120 (lt s"ke alar"s 'A *attery *ack4!& t ens!re &r&er and ti"ely &eratin
in the e(ent # a #ire.
,,,
1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208
The ,##ice # the State Fire Marshal is an agency # the 7e&art"ent # State )lice dedicated t hel&ing &rtect
citi%ens #r" #ire and e2&lsin thr!gh a c"&rehensi(e &rgra" # ed!catin, ins&ectin, in(estigatin and
#ire &rtectin engineering. Fr "re in#r"atin n #ire sa#ety call 14B004C2C4>124, lg nt !r 'e*site
atD '''."ds&.rgA#ire"arshal andAr htt&DAA#ace*k.c"AMarylandStateFireMarshal. Fll' !s n T'itterD
E,SFMF).,
Media cntactD Br!ce 7. B!ch, 7e&!ty State Fire MarshalG 44>4>244HB7H
1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208