Resetting clocks this weekend for the start of daylight saving time is also a good occasion to recheck or change smoke alarm batteries, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
“Approximately two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms,” according to an agency statement. “Since most fatal fires occur at night, it’s essential that every home has working smoke alarms to provide an early warning. Working smoke alarms increase the chance of surviving a home fire by 50 percent.”
The time change officially occurs at 2 a.m. Sunday, when residents need to set the their clocks ahead by one hour. Daylight saving lasts until Nov. 3.
According to the fire department, smoke alarms are designed to last up to 10 years, but batteries’ life spans are far shorter, and whenever daylight saving or standard time arrives, officials recommend replacing batteries as a precaution.
“Just like schools practice fire drills, families should also practice what to do if their smoke alarms go off,” the agency stated. “Remember, every day a smoke alarm saves somebody’s life.”
Households with separate carbon monoxide detectors should also install new batteries in those devices to be safe, officials said.
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