Wing safety office reminds people to replace batteries in smoke detectors during "fall back" to standard time

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Matwey
  • 166th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
NEW CASTLE, Delaware --  On Nov. 6, Sunday, daylight saving time will come to an end at 2:00 a.m., and people should set their clocks back one hour when they go to bed on Saturday night, Nov. 5.

The 166th Airlift Wing Safety Office reminds everyone that at the beginning and end of daylight saving time, people should replace the batteries in their smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

"This is also a prime time to install smoke detectors in your homes if you do not have them," said Senior Master Sgt. Bob Ward, NCOIC of the 166AW Safety Office.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends installing smoke detectors in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. They recommend monthly testing of each smoke alarm and replacement of the batteries each year, or sooner, if the alarm starts a chirping sound that indicates a low battery. Units older than 10 years should be replaced.

The association states:
  • Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half.
     
  • Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths in 2005-2009 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
     
  • When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected or dead. Almost one-quarter of the smoke alarm failures was due to dead batteries.
"Please take a few minutes to change the batteries in all your smoke detectors and install new detectors if you do not have them," said Sgt. Ward. "Fire, smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms are life-saving measures that are worth every minute of time to check, replace batteries, or to install a new unit."

For more information about smoke detectors or how to install them, call the Base Fire Department at 323-3450.