State fire marshal urges smoke alarm checks for Fire Prevention Month

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - October is National Fire Prevention Month, and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding residents to check their smoke alarms.

Officials say smoke alarms are often taken for granted, especially as they age.

“I think most of the time is that they can go bad,” said Kory Leo, director of community risk reduction. “That they have a shelf life on them. And it was this bright white when I put it up. And then over the course of years it’s yellowed and it gets dingy. And we just take for granted that it’s working. Because we don’t test them.”

For over a decade, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office has worked to ensure homes are protected at no cost to residents through “Operation Save-A-Life.”

“So Operation Save a Life is the smoke alarm program that is run through our agency that’s been in place for over a decade,” Leo said. “That we work with local jurisdictions and local fire departments around the state to provide them with free smoke alarms that they can go install in their communities.”

Once a smoke alarm is installed, maintenance is key. Most new alarms carry a 10-year lifespan, while older models still require routine battery swaps. Officials say testing them every month is essential.

“Every alarm has a test button on it,” Leo said. “This one you press, you let go, and it’ll run through its cycle. So it’s in test mode. So that lets me know that it’s working properly.”

Beyond working hardware, officials say every household must have an escape plan, mapping out two exits per room and practicing with pets so they don’t hide. Officials emphasize one rule: once out of a home during a fire, never go back in.

“Probably one of the most important things is when you get out of your home in a fire emergency, you stay out,” Leo said. “You don’t go back in. Because when we arrive on scene, the fire department arrives on scene, the most important thing we can hear from you is everybody’s out.”

Residents can visit the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s website and look for Operation Save-A-Life for more information and to register for a free smoke alarm.

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