Firefighters are touting the importance of smoke detectors as a lifesaving tool in Rockland County following a fire on Christmas.

A fire broke out Christmas night in the basement of a Pomona home. A 1-year-old was sleeping during the fire, but the smoke detector kept going off. The child's mother rushed downstairs to save her baby. 

The entire family was able to get out alive. The mom and baby are currently in the hospital for their injuries but are expected to recover.

"Without that detector activating and alerting the family to the fire in the basement, the outcome could have been horrific," said Rockland County Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear.

Firefighters say smoke detectors should be tested monthly and that batteries should be replaced at least once a year. It’s also recommended to change the entire smoke alarm every decade