Key Largo EMS Manager Urges Residents to Maintain Working Smoke Alarms

An EMS district manager with Key Largo Fire & Rescue provided a public safety column today offering a focused reminder to Monroe County residents about the lifesaving role of functioning smoke alarms. The column emphasizes that working smoke alarms dramatically reduce fire fatalities and outlines straightforward steps homeowners and renters can take to protect themselves and their families.

The guidance advises installing smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of a home. Residents are asked to test alarms monthly to ensure they are working and to replace batteries at least once a year, specifically noting nine volt batteries where applicable. The column also advises replacing smoke alarms every ten years. The manager explained that properly maintained alarms provide occupants with precious minutes to escape, an advantage that emergency responders say is critical in residential fires.

For Monroe County this guidance has immediate relevance. Many Key Largo and Upper Keys homes are older, and seasonal population shifts mean visitors and part time residents may not be familiar with a residence layout. Working alarms create a consistent baseline of safety for long term residents, renters, and tourists alike, improving early detection and response across the community. For households with young children, older adults, or people who have mobility challenges, the extra minutes provided by an alarm can be decisive.

The column also encourages civic engagement by asking neighbors and landlords to check alarms in multiunit buildings and to assist elderly or disabled neighbors who may need help testing batteries or replacing units. Local building owners and property managers bear a particular responsibility to ensure alarms are installed on every level and outside sleeping areas.

Key Largo Fire & Rescue included contact information in the column for residents seeking additional guidance about installation, testing, or choosing the right alarm for their home. The department urges residents to act now to confirm their smoke alarms are working, because simple maintenance can substantially reduce the risk of fatal fires in Monroe County.