What should be done with smoke alarms when conducting a residential fire safety survey?

When conducting a residential fire safety survey, testing each smoke alarm is crucial for ensuring the safety of the residents. Smoke alarms are essential for early detection of fire and can significantly reduce the risk of fire-related injuries and fatalities. By testing each one, firefighters can verify that they are properly functioning, confirm that they have not surpassed their expiration date, and ensure that they are installed in the correct locations within the home.

This thorough approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the home's fire safety measures and can help educate residents about the importance of maintaining their smoke alarms. It also enables firefighters to provide specific guidance on how to properly care for and test smoke detectors regularly, promoting proactive safety habits among the homeowners.

Other options do not adequately address the importance of ensuring each smoke alarm is operational. Simply commenting positively on observed smoke detectors ignores the need for a functional test, while checking only one detector could overlook a malfunction in others. Therefore, testing each smoke alarm is the best practice to guarantee the entire system is effective and ready to alert occupants in the event of a fire.