| As daylight savings time comes to an end on Sunday November 1st, the Center Moriches Fire Department is reminding residents to make another change that could save your life — change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
Communities nationwide witness home fire deaths each year. An average of three children per day die in home fires and 80 percent of those occur in homes without working smoke detectors. Non working smoke detectors rob residents of the protective benefits home fire safety devices were designed to provide. The most commonly cited cause of nonworking smoke detectors is worn or missing batteries.
Changing smoke detector batteries is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce deaths and injuries. In fact, working smoke detectors nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire. The "Change Your Clock-Change Your Battery" program urges everyone to adopt a habit of changing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarm batteries each year when changing clocks for daylight savings time.
In addition, the Center Moriches Fire Department recommends residents to take this time to make a few other fire safety prevention measures such as:
• Making sure smoke detectors & carbon monoxide alarms work by pushing the test button.
• Counting all smoke detectors to make sure there is at least one on every floor, one outside each sleeping area.
• Checking flashlight batteries and placing working flashlights near all beds.
• Planning and rehearsing two escape routes, and selecting a meeting place for family members outside the home.
• Replacing smoke detectors and CO alarms every seven to ten years. |
