Massachusetts Fire Officials Sound Alarm About Aging Smoke Alarms

Massachusetts fire and police officials are issuing a warning that people should heed: Check the age of your smoke alarms.

Many smoke alarms in Massachusetts, installed around 10 years ago, are reaching the end of their life span and need replacement following a change to the state's fire code.

“Our concern is that a wave of smoke alarms in homes across Massachusetts won't be reliable in the months ahead,” said Westborough Fire Chief Patrick Purcell, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, in a statement shared with The Boston Globe.

According to the Globe, in 2015, a change to the state's fire safety code mandated that replacement smoke alarms in most homes have a sealed, 10-year battery and a “hush” feature. This element decreases the likelihood that people will turn off the alarms following a “nuisance” activation, such as from cooking smoke.

Replacement alarms, officials said, should have “the mark of an independent testing lab such as UL or Intertek/ETL.” The alarms should meet the “UL Standard 217, 8th Edition or later.” Underwriters Laboratories, a global safety organization, establishes these standards.

Brockton's fire chief, Brian Nardelli, urged residents to look at the back of their fire alarms to make sure they're up to date.

“Every smoke alarm should have a manufacturing date printed on the back of the device,” said Nardelli, the association's first vice president, in a statement shared with the Globe. “If it's more than 10 years old, or if it doesn't have a date, replace it right away. If it's not 10 years old and it takes alkaline batteries, this is a great time to put fresh batteries in to be sure you're protected through the winter.”