This past Saturday, a tragic fire swept through a Brooklyn, NY, home, killing seven siblings ages five to 16. Their mother and 15-year-old sister escaped by jumping from a second-floor window; as of Tuesday, March 24, both are in critical condition after suffering burns and smoke inhalation. The fire started when a hotplate in the kitchen malfunctioned.

According to Fire Department of New York, the home did not have working smoke alarms on the first floor where the fire started just after midnight, nor the second floor where the family was sleeping. By the time the mother awoke, she was unable to get to her children.

“The mother would have had to go into the fire to get to the back bedrooms, so I think she tried, although badly burned, to get out and get help for her children”, said FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “She was very brave.”

The details of this incident are simply heart-wrenching. Like many other deadly home fires that occur in the U.S. each year, a common thread remains: the smoke alarms are missing or not working.

For all of us who work in the world of fire safety, the importance of smoke alarms is well understood. This incident underscores the fact that we still have a lot more to do in educating the public about their life-saving value.

• Choose smoke alarms that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
• Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• On levels without bedrooms, install alarms in the living room (or den or family room) or near the stairway to the upper level, or in both locations.
• Smoke alarms installed in the basement should be installed on the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs leading to the next level.
• Smoke alarms should be installed at least 10 feet (3 meters) from a cooking appliance to minimize false alarms when cooking.
• Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Wall-mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling (to the top of the alarm).
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. To determine the age of your smoke alarm, look at the back where you will find the date of manufacture. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture.
• Immediately replace any smoke alarm that does not respond properly when tested.
• Replace combination smoke-carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

For more, visit http://www.nfpa.org/ or find out fire saftey standards for WAshington State at Washington Office of the State Fire Marshal http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/firemars.htm