Fit a smoke alarm that actually works
In one line
One working smoke alarm was linked to a much lower risk of dying in a house fire. Check the battery too.
What it costs
An alarm is on the order of a few thousand yen, or a few tens of dollars. Test the battery. If you burn fuel indoors for heat, consider a carbon monoxide alarm as well.
What you get
A North Carolina comparison of fatal residential fires found an odds ratio of 0.39 (95% CI 0.18–0.83) when a working smoke alarm was present. The source book did not find a trial showing that carbon monoxide alarms themselves cut deaths.
How strong the evidence is
Source
Marshall SW et al. (1998). JAMA.
Watch-outs
Grade B because this is a look-back comparison, not a randomized trial. China-specific carbon monoxide death counts were dropped. In Japan, residential smoke alarms are required.
Adapted from HowToLiveBetter item 1-3.
Next habitRelated
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Face droops, one arm fails, speech slurs. Call now
Ask for a smile, both arms up, and a short sentence. If any of that fails, call 119 in Japan or 911 in the U.S. Don’t drive them yourself.
Cool a burn under running water for 20 minutes
Run cool water over a burn for 20 minutes. Not ice. Don’t put on toothpaste, soy sauce, oil, or flour.