The Grinnell Fire Department reminds Grinnell area residents: Hear the beep where you sleep. Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm.

Location matters when it comes to your smoke alarm. That's the message behind this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign, "Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!"

Along with firefighters and safety advocates nationwide, the Grinnell Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week, October 4-10, to remind local residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

"In a fire, seconds count," said Chief Sicard "Half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out."

According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, three out of five fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

This year's Fire Prevention Week campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. This way, when one sounds, they all do.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don't respond properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting place. Call the fire department from outside the home.

The Grinnell Fire Department will be hosting its Annual Fire Prevention Breakfast Sunday, Oct. 4th, from 6 a.m. to noon. We will also be visiting schools, preschools, and several businesses during Fire Prevention Week to promote "Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!" Through these educational, family-oriented activities, residents can learn more about the importance of having a working smoke alarm in every bedroom.

Due to a donation of smoke detectors from Poweshiek Mutual Insurance, the Grinnell Fire Department has been able to continue its program of installing smoke detectors for any area residents if needed. The program has been expanded to include one combination Carbon Monoxide/Smoke detector per household. This was made possible by a generous donation from the Grinnell Elks Lodge.

To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in Grinnell please contact the Grinnell Fire Department at 641-236-2688. To learn more about smoke alarms and "Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!" visit NFPA's web site at www.firepreventionweek.org and www.sparky.org/fpw. To learn more about the Grinnell Fire Department please visit their web site at www.grinnellfd.com.