Fire Prevention

 In an effort to better protect the citizens of the City of Portage

the Portage Fire Department is offering free smoke detectors

to any Portage resident.

Call
762-7404 

 

Or Stop by any of our three stations
 

3401 Swanson Rd.
6275 Old Porter Rd.
6070 Central Ave. 
 

Portage Fire Department Personnel will also assist anyone with

installation of their smoke detector.  Please call for an appointment to schedule your installation.
 
 
 
In the United States, most state and local laws regarding the required number and placement of smoke detectors are based upon standards established in Article 72 of NFPA fire code.

Laws governing the installation of smoke detectors vary depending on the locality. Homeowners with questions or concerns regarding smoke detector placement are encouraged to contact their local fire marshal or building inspector for assistance. However, there are some rules and guidelines that are relatively consistent throughout the country. In older existing homes, smoke detectors are generally required on every habitable level and within the vicinity of all bedrooms. Habitable levels include attics that are tall enough to allow access. In new construction, the minimum requirements are typically much greater. All smoke detectors must be hooked directly to the electrical wiring, be interconnected and have a battery backup. In addition, smoke detectors are required either inside or outside every bedroom, depending on local codes. Smoke detectors on the outside will detect fires more quickly, assuming the fire does not begin in the bedroom, but the sound of the alarm will be reduced and may not wake some people. Some areas also require smoke detectors in stairways, main hallways and garages.

Detectors on the ceiling should be placed several inches away from any wall. If the ceiling is not flat, the detector should be placed at or near the highest point. If the highest point is a small recess, then the detector should be placed at the next highest level. Detectors placed on the wall should be several inches, but no more than a foot, from the top. Detectors should not be placed on a wall if the ceiling has a deep recess or if the ceiling slopes steeply or for a long distance. Detectors should be several horizontal feet away from a heating or cooling register, window, corner, the edge of a ceiling fan's sweep and doors to a kitchen or bathroom. They should be placed as far as possible away from combustion sources, like oil and gas-fired furnaces, space heaters, clothes dryers and water heaters, without compromising coverage or safety. Smoke detectors in a basement should be placed at the bottom of the stairs and an additional detector should be placed in or near sleeping areas in the basement.

It is recommended, and sometimes required, that smoke detectors not be placed in kitchens because the small amounts of smoke and particulates generated while cooking can set them off. Detectors designed for use near a kitchen may have a silence button to cancel accidental triggering.

Detectors should not be placed in a bathroom or near a bathroom door because moisture may cause false alarms or damage the detector. False alarms reduce the effectiveness of smoke detectors in preventing harm and property damage because people soon begin to assume that the alarm is false. Heat detectors, which sound an alarm when the temperature reaches a certain point and/or when it climbs more rapidly than a certain rate, can be used in kitchens, garages and areas with combustion sources that would otherwise generate nuisance alarms.

 Detectors