Vermont Residents Encouraged to Take Steps to Prevent Home Fires

The Vermont Division of Fire Safety and the American Red Cross are encouraging residents to take steps to help prevent home fires and save lives as the heating season gets underway.

They recommend installing smoke alarms on every level of a home including inside and outside bedrooms and testing them once a month. They also say to install carbon monoxide alarms on every floor, near sleeping rooms and inside them if they contain heating appliances. The alarms should also be tested monthly.

Officials say both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have expiration dates and none exceed 10 years from when they were manufactured.

The Red Cross also advises that households come up with a fire escape plan and practice it twice a year.