Daylight Savings Time is the perfect reminder for residents to replace the batteries on their smoke alarms.
Residents will have to spring forward on Sunday, March 10, and Cleburne Fire wants to encourage residents to use this time to get in the habit of testing and replacing batteries on smoke alarms. The U.S. Fire Administration encourages people to test smoke alarms on a monthly basis and change batteries on the detectors once or twice a year.
Smoke alarms are vital to a complete fire escape plan. During a fire, smoke spreads quickly and alarms give residents an early warning. Here are some safety tips and facts from the National Fire Protection Association.
- Roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no or out-of-order smoke alarms.
- Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of a home.
- If possible, use interconnected smoke alarms where all alarms will sound if one is triggered.
- A smoke alarm should be on a ceiling or high on a wall.
- Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms and at least 10 feet from the stove.
- People who a hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms that have strobe lights and bed shakers.
- Smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years.
