Do you know what the sound your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector is making actually means?

Fire Prevention week in the province has firefighters making presentations to school children in an outdoor setting, complete with fire trucks and the various implements used by firefighters, such as the Jaws of Life cutters, pick-axes, and more.

The theme this year is 'Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety for elementary school students, which features the general fire information of fire safety and how to get out safely if you're in a building that's on fire.

Appropos to this year's theme, though, Career Firefighter Marc Schweitzer with Weyburn Fire Services said they had a particular focus on smoke alarms, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors.

Smoke detectors, he noted, should be checked every month, and the batteries changed every year, as diligent maintenance for fire prevention.

Schweitzer shared how to know what the beeps mean on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

"Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide or CO alarms have kind of the same sounds, but you should know what they mean as well."

"For smoke alarms, if you hear continuous, very loud beep, that means there is possible smoke or fire, and you get out and call 911," he advised.

"If you hear, like, a small single chirp every 30 to 60 seconds, that means that the battery is low and it needs to be changed soon. And all smoke detectors must be replaced after 10 years or manufacturer specifications, which is usually 10 years."

"Chirping every so often, that means that the battery needs to be replaced."

"Carbon monoxide detectors are somewhat new to a lot of people, so you can get carbon monoxide from your furnace and your water heater if they are gas appliances."

"If there is carbon monoxide present, they will be very loud beeps, so you would want to exit your home and call 911.

"So if there's a single chirp every 30 to 60 seconds, that means the battery is low and CEO alarms have an end of life, and the sounds may vary by manufacturer, and that would mean replace them."

He added just a chirping every now and then means that you need to replace the battery.

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