Don’t Forget To Check Your Smoke Alarms When You Change Your Clocks
When you change you clocks this weekend, don't forget to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
The Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) says if the alarms have removable batteries, those batteries should be replaced. They say alarms with sealed-in batteries should be tested to ensure they're working properly.
Governor Cuomo has signed a bill that will require all smoke alarms sold in New York state be equipped with sealed-in, non-removable batteries that last for at least ten years. That law will go into effect in 2019.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, three of every five fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms, and the vast majority of smoke alarm failures are due to dead or missing batteries.
“Installing and maintaining smoke alarms in your house is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself from fire,” said FASNY President Ken Pienkowski. “This simple, but vital maintenance includes ensuring that all alarms are equipped with working batteries.
Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour when you go to bed on Saturday night.