Safe Kids USA, www.safekids.org, wants to share the following message about smoke alarms.
When it’s time to “spring forward” and change the clocks on Sunday,
March 10, make sure to change the batteries in all of your smoke alarms. If batteries were recently changed, it’s still very important to conduct your monthly test of your smoke alarms. It could save a life!
Did you know that having a working smoke alarm reduces a person’s chance of dying in a fire by half?
For the best protection, install smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside every sleeping area and in every bedroom. Smoke alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings and tested monthly.
It’s important to replace smoke alarm batteries at least once a year, unless they’re 10-year lithium batteries. Even if your smoke alarms are hardwired, replace the batteries in case of a chirping sound or a power outage.
Reminder: Smoke alarms do not last forever. The maximum life span is 8-10 years. After that time, the entire unit should be replaced. If the unit does not respond properly when tested, it should be replaced immediately.
