Five questions with Wendell Hall

Wendell Hall is the division captain for Aiken Public Safety's Community Services Division.

1. Why should people have smoke detectors in their homes?

Smoke detectors are the early-warning system in all residential fires. More people are killed by smoke than by actual fire itself. The real danger is in the startup stages of the fire, which makes the early warning of a smoke detector essential in getting you out of the house safely.

2. Where should smoke detectors be installed?

The logical places, of course -- kitchens, bedrooms -- but we also recommend them in hallways and outside of bedrooms.

3. How do smoke detectors work?

The smoke detector detects the presence of smoke, and then the rest is just electronics that set off an audible tone.

4. How often should someone test a smoke detector?

Test it monthly and change the battery annually.

5. What should someone do if a smoke detector is sounding?

Get out of the house immediately, especially in those circumstances where it is night and you don't know what's causing the smoke detector to go off. Always get away from the danger and then determine what the problem might be. Heat and smoke rise, so if you're in a smoke-filled room, the lower you get the better. Once you inhale superheated gas and smoke, you're in deep trouble.