Change Your Batteries When You Change Your Clocks

Daylight Saving Time officially begins at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, March 13. It’s time to “spring forward” one hour.

Fire officials around the Great Lakes Bay Region are reminding residents to change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors as well. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. “Change your clock, change your battery” is a simple phrase that reminds us to always make sure we have working smoke alarms in our homes.

Three out of five home fire deaths resulted from fires with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. This is especially important if someone in your home smokes. Fires caused by smoking materials like cigarettes are the leading cause of fire-related deaths, accounting for 23% of all fatalities.

In addition to testing fire safety devices, fire officials recommends for residents to do the following:

• Update, plan, and practice escape routes;
• Use both ionization and photo electric smoke alarms to alert people to home fires; and
• Prepare a fire safety kit that includes working flashlights and fresh batteries.