MARYSVILLE – Maryville Firefighters will be visiting Marysville residents to check their smoke alarms and install free smoke alarms in some areas on Nov. 6 – Smoke Alarm Saturday.

This is the fourth time Marysville Fire District has participated in the Snohomish County Fire Prevention Association sponsored event. Smoke alarms save lives by providing the early warning needed to escape in a fire. “The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most families are sleeping,” said Marysville Fire Chief Greg Corn. “Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm and a practiced home fire escape plan can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.”

In Marysville, firefighters and community development staff will be at La Tierra Mobile Home Park, Liberty Village, Country Village and Cedar Lane to check and install smoke alarms or replace batteries.

“Get Out Alive” Home Fire Safety Steps:

• Smoke Alarms – you can’t have too many.

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside and outside each bedroom and hallway. Test batteries monthly and change your battery once per year (unless it is a 10-year long-life battery).

• Fire drills aren’t just for schools – practice escape at home too.

Develop an escape plan with two ways out of every room and practice so everyone knows what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.

• Home Fire Sprinklers

If at all possible, install residential sprinklers in your home.

Some Fire Safety Facts for People 50-Plus: Each year, approximately 1,100 Americans ages 65 and older die as a result of a home fire. Compared to the rest of the U.S. population, their risk of death in a fire quadruples.

With a few simple steps, older people can dramatically reduce their risk of death and injury from fire:

Smoke Safely

• Never smoke in bed.

• Put your cigarette out at the first sigh of feeling drowsy.

• Use deep ashtrays.

• Don’t walk away from lit cigarettes or other smoking materials.

Cook Safely (cooking is the third leading cause of fire deaths and the leading cause of injury among people ages 65 and older).

• Never leave cooking unattended – a serious fire can start in just seconds.

• Always wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames.

• Never use the range or oven to heat your home.

• Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house.

Heat Your Home Safely (heating is the second leading cause of fire death and the third leading cause of injury to people ages 65 and older).

• Keep fire in the fireplace by making sure you have a screen large enough to catch flying sparks and rolling logs.

• Space heaters need space. Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from heaters. When buying a space heater, look for a control feature that automatically shuts off the power if the heater falls over.

strong>A few more facts about smoke alarms:

• Smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old should be replaced. Aging smoke alarms are unreliable and often are the source of nuisance alarms.

• “Borrowing” a smoke alarm battery can be deadly. Removing a smoke alarm battery for another use takes away its lifesaving benefits and puts your family at risk.