FIREFIGHTERS are warning Islanders to regularly test their smoke alarms after new statistics revealed that more than one-in-ten people never check their alarms.
In a statement issued last week, the Jersey Fire and Rescue Service urged people to frequently check their smoke detectors.
“You are ten times more likely to die from a fire if you don’t have a working smoke alarm in your home,” the service said.
“Test your smoke alarms at least once a month.”
The statement comes after the Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey showed that although 98% of households had smoke detectors installed, only 19% tested them monthly as is recommended. The data also revealed that 13% of households admitted they never test their alarms at all.
The survey, which gathered insights from 1,200 Islanders, also uncovered differences in testing habits across different housing types and locations.
Residents in bedsits showed the highest compliance with monthly testing at 46%, while house dwellers recorded just 13%. St Helier parishioners were also more likely to test their alarms monthly (23%) compared to those in rural parishes (14%).
