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By: Isaac Elting McGuire
Every year, I try to set new goals for myself. I also get a new calendar on which I write my new goals. This helps me to better track my progress.
I also use the calendar to mark important dates. One example is scheduling dates to regularly check my smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors (alarms).
In Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) and Multnomah County Administrative Rule (MCAR), adult foster care homes are required to test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on a monthly basis. I encourage you to set reminders on your phone or make a monthly reminder on your calendar to test your detectors/alarms.
Here are a few important tips to consider when testing your alarms:
Make sure damaged or nonfunctional detectors are discarded and replaced immediately. Take special care when replacing to check that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in their proper locations, per manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you mark the date installed on the new detector, and keep track of the testing dates as required in OAR and MCAR. If your alarm system is interconnected, replace the old detectors with new interconnection-compatible detectors. Hard wired detectors must be equipped with a battery back-up. An interconnected alarm system offers maximum response time during a fire event. If you have a professionally monitored alarm system, contact your monitoring company for any additional maintenance guidelines or recommendations.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms help save lives, so please be sure to set this goal for your home in your overall effort to reduce risk and maximize safety, and to meet licensing requirements for fire and life safety.
Please reach out at [email protected] if you have any questions.
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