Fall 2021 Hometown Messenger

Photo Gallery: Night To Unite 2021

CHIEF’S NOTES

You wouldn’t remember your 1st birthday party, but you may have been presented with a cake that had a candle burning on top of it. We learn at a very young age that we can control fire just by blowing it out. As we get older, the candles multiply, and the fire gets harder to blow out. Believe me, I’m speaking from experience! I think it’s fine we celebrate with candles. It’s a part of tradition that doesn’t need

to change if we take proper precautions like having working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in our homes. Did you know each alarm makes different noises to alert you of a problem? Here’s the breakdown.

Shakopee Fire Chief Rick Coleman

A chirp on any alarm indicates an outdated alarm or a battery that needs replacing. Start with the battery. As you change it, look at the manufacture date on the back of the alarm. If a smoke alarm is over 10 years old or a CO alarm is over 7 years old, the alarm needs to be replaced. CO alarms are designed to monitor for toxic gas in the air caused by incomplete combustion. That’s a fancy way to say they check for CO in the air and alert you that it’s not safe to be inside. If a CO alarm detects CO, it beeps 4 times and repeats until the CO is gone. You should call 911 when this happens and we will make sure everyone is OK, then use our gas monitors to best determine where the CO is coming from. It could be from a natural gas appliance, a pilot light from a fireplace, a vehicle, or other things. When a smoke alarm detects smoke, it beeps 3 times and repeats until the smoke is gone. If you hear the beep, move your feet and investigate. During a real fire, you only have two minutes to get out of your home before the smoke gets too thick and toxic so don’t assume the alarm is false. Quickly investigate and fix the issue, which may just be candles being blown out on a birthday cake! For more information and additional fire safety tips please visit www.shakopeemn.gov/public-safety/fire department/fire-safety-tips or call us at 952-233-9570.

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