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For Immediate Release: Friday, October 30, 2009 Contact: Greg Buelow
Phone: 319-286-5163
E-mail: g.buelow@cedar-rapids.org
An Extra Hour to Change Batteries in Your Smoke Alarms
The Cedar Rapids Fire Department is encouraging citizens to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks back to Standard Time this weekend.
Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 1st and citizens will move their clocks back one hour. The Fire Department recommends that residents use the "extra" hour from the time change to test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors by pushing the test button. The Fire Department also recommends that residents develop and practice a home fire escape plan, which includes two ways out of every room in the home and a safe meeting place outside for the family to gather in the event of a fire.
About 80 percent of home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The most common reason that smoke alarms do not work is because of worn or missing batteries. It is a fallacy to believe that fire and smoke will wake you up - most home fire fatalities occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are sleeping. A working smoke alarm is one of the most effective and simple ways to reduce fire deaths and injuries.
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