State Fire Marshal Partners With Maryland Fire Service for Community Risk Reduction Weekend

May 15, 2025/Joe Ciccanti

On May 17th-18th, fire officials and local Fire/EMS departments will be visiting neighborhoods for the Statewide Maryland Community Risk Reduction Weekend.

Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray says Maryland Community Risk Reduction Weekend is a vital opportunity for fire departments and first responders to engage directly with residents, identify potential hazards, and strengthen the safety of Maryland neighborhoods.聽With over 20 fire-related deaths in the state this year, you’re encouraged to make sure your home is fire-safe and has working smoke alarms. If you need one, you can contact the Office of the State Fire Marshal or your local fire department for assistance.聽
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Additional Information:

How Do Smoke Alarms Work?

Many people wonder how smoke alarms work. There are two main types:聽photoelectric聽and聽ionization.

  • Photoelectric smoke alarms聽are better at detecting smoke from slow, smoldering fires鈥攍ike when something burns slowly without flames.

  • Ionization smoke alarms聽are quicker to detect fast, flaming fires. These alarms use a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates. This setup creates a small electric current. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the current and triggers the alarm.

Understanding how these alarms work helps us see why having the right kind of protection matters鈥攅specially with the way homes are built and furnished today. Modern materials like synthetic fabrics and plastics burn differently than natural wood and can create fires that behave in new ways.

Don鈥檛 forget: All smoke alarms鈥攏o matter the type鈥攕hould be replaced聽every 10 years. Older alarms may not respond fast enough. Upgrading to the latest technology gives your family the best chance to escape safely in a fire emergency.

Here are the top 5 most important items that you should do to keep you and your family safe in case a fire breaks out in your residence.

  1. Placement of Alarms:聽We want you to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home. They should be placed outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom. We ask that you test them monthly, and if you find a problem, reach out for help. Replace the alarms if they are 10 years or older. This goes for hard-wired alarms as well.
  2. Close Before You Doze:聽At night, ensure all bedroom doors are closed, and close all doors behind you when you are escaping a fire. This will prevent the spread of smoke and fire throughout your home and give you time to be rescued if you are trapped by a fire.
  3. Develop an Escape Plan:聽Meet with your family and develop an escape plan. Have two ways out of every room. Ensure door locks are openable without a key and that bedroom windows are operational from the inside.聽Have a meeting place outside the home so your family can ensure everyone gets out.聽We ask that you practice this plan every six months, and if you have guests staying over, inform them as well in case a fire occurs.
  4. Get Out and Stay Out:聽We want you to Get out and Stay Out Always! Once out, NEVER EVER go back inside a burning building! You will not come back out alive.聽
  5. Call 911:聽Once out, make that 911 call immediately to the fire department to get them started as soon as possible.聽When calling, try to stay calm, account for everyone with you, and give a good and complete address to your location. Stay on with the dispatcher; they will ask you questions to help the responding fire department. 聽

To request a smoke alarm; visit our website:https://mdsp.maryland.gov/firemarshal/Pages/Get-Alarmed-Maryland.aspx

If you know someone who requires a hard-of-hearing smoke alarm and bed shaker, please visit聽our application process | fabscom-maryland, and you can request one to be installed.

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