CENTRE COUNTY — According to the United States Fire Administration, smoke detector batteries should be changed at minimum once a year, though the alarm itself should be tested monthly. With daylight saving time setting the clocks back an hour on Sunday, Oct. 3, the American Red Cross noted that the time change serves as a reminder to ensure all smoke detection devices are working.
“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half as you only have about two minutes to safely get out,” Jorge Martinez, CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania, shared in a statement. “Every second counts when there’s a home fire and the sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get to a safer place. When daylight saving time ends this weekend, test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home.”
The American Red Cross noted that smoke alarms 10 years or older should be replaces since sensors become less sensitive over time. Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, and inside and outside of sleeping areas.
Additionally, the American Red Cross noted that every family should create a two minute home fire escape plan, ensuring every family member has at least two ways to get out of a room and home safely in less than two minutes.
“Over the past year, local Red Cross volunteers responded to help nearly 5,500 people in communities across the commonwealth affected by more than 1,400 home fires,” a statement from the American Red Cross said. “Home fires account for most of the about 65,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually across the country.”
For more information on how to test or replace smoke detector batteries, visit the USFA’s website, usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prepare-for-fire/smoke-alarms.
