To help kickoff National Fire Prevention Week, FEMA urges everyone to take a few simple steps to protect yourself and your family from fires and other emergencies. Observed each October, National Fire Prevention Week, commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 by promoting fire safety. This year's theme is "Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With."

According to the USFA, fires killed more Americans than all other natural disasters combined in 2009. Eighty-six percent of civilian fire-related deaths happened in homes. Each year, nearly 3,000 people die in residential fires.

FEMA, along with the NFPA, urges residents to take the steps necessary to update and maintain smoke alarm protection with these tips:

• Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home (including the basement), outside each sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Never remove or disable a smoke alarm.
• An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires while a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, install one of each type of alarm, or use a combination ionization/photoelectric alarms.
• The interconnection of smoke alarms is highly recommended; so when one alarm sounds, they all do. A licensed electrician can install either hard-wired or multiple-station alarms but the new wireless variety smoke alarm systems can be installed by the homeowner.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound. Replace all smoke alarms, even alarms that use 10-year batteries or hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly when tested.
• Smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or have mild to severe hearing loss. These alarms may use strobe lights activated by the alarm sound but require additional vibration equipment, others make a low-pitched sound activated by the noise from a traditional smoke alarm.

Learn more about National Fire Prevention Week and read the special information on FEMA's USFA Web site, or go to www.firesafety.gov.