Don’t Forget To Check Your Batteries
March 5, 2008
Daylight Savings Time will begin on Sunday, March 9th, with most of us setting our clocks ahead when we go to bed on the evening of Saturday, March 8th. Even though we will be ’springing forward’, the next Sunday morning will provide some relief for most of us. Of course, changing the clocks is a great time to change your smoke detector batteries.
Smoke Alarms are your first defense against fire. A working smoke alarm can detect a small fire and provide crucial minutes necessary to prevent a tragedy from occurring in your home. Over 94% of all homes in the U.S. have at least one smoke alarm. However, surveys show that 1/3 - 1/2 or them do not work because the battery is either dead or missing.
- Every 2 hours someone dies in a fire.
- Smoke, not heat, is the leading cause of death in home fires.
- Children and the elderly are at twice the risk of dying or being injured in a home fire.
- Most home fires occur during sleeping hours - between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Early Detection
Smoldering fires are discovered quickly by smoke alarms because fires generate smoke before flames are visible and before heat raises room temperature high enough to make residents feel uncomfortable.
The warning given off by the smoke alarm gives occupants time to escape before being overcome by toxic fumes.
Studies have shown that from the time a fire breaks out, a person has less than 10 minutes to escape the disabling effects of smoke and poisonous gases.
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