Time To Change More Than Your Clocks!

Time To Change More Than Your Clocks!
October 13, 2003

As the fall time change approaches (October 26th), the Chelsea Fire & Rescue Department wants to remind all residents to make another change that could save their lives, changing the batteries in their smoke alarm.

Although ninety two percent of American homes have smoke alarms, nearly one third of those do not work. Non-working smoke alarms rob residents of the protective benefits that home fire safety devices were designed to provide. The most commonly cited cause of non-working smoke alarms is worn or missing batteries.

Changing smoke alarm batteries once a year is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce these tragic deaths and injuries. In fact, working smoke alarms nearly cut the risk of dying in a residential fire in half.

To save lives and prevent needless injuries in our community, the Chelsea Fire & Rescue Department actively supports the “Change your Clock, Change your Batteries” campaign sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chief’s. This program urges all Americans to adopt a simple, life saving habit: changing smoke alarm batteries when we change our clocks back to standard time each fall.

Working smoke alarms provide an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape. This is particularly important for those most at risk of dying in a home fire, such as children and seniors.

Tragically, fire can kill selectively. Those most at risk include:

Children - An average of three children die each day in home fires. Fire is the second leading cause of accidental deaths among children under age five, placing them at twice the risk of dying in a home fire. Ninety percent of fire deaths involving children occur in homes without working smoke alarms.
Seniors - Adults over the age of seventy five are three to four times more likely to die in home fires than the rest of the population. Many seniors are unable to escape quickly and the extra time provided by a working smoke detector can be the key to surviving such an event.
Low-income households - Many low-income families are unable to afford batteries for their smoke alarms. These same households often rely on poorly installed/maintained, or misused portable area heating equipment – a main cause of fatal home fires.

The Chelsea Fire & Rescue Department would also like to remind you that your smoke alarm should be replaced every eight-to-ten years. Like most electrical devices, smoke alarms wear out. You may want to write the purchase date with a marker inside your alarm near the battery so that you will know when it is time to replace the unit. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for replacement.

In addition, we recommend residents use the “extra” hour they gain from the time change to test smoke alarms by pressing the test button and cleaning (vacuum excess dust) the unit.

Another important fire safety step is having a plan for “two ways out” of any room and practicing those escape routes with the entire family. All family members should know how to get out and where to meet the rest of the family in the yard safely away from the home.

For more information on smoke alarms or fire safety programs, contact Chief Wayne Shirley by email at shirleyw@chelseafire.com or by telephone at 678-6060.

City of Chelsea
Fire & Rescue
P.O. Box 165 – 104 Chesser Drive
Chelsea, Alabama 35043
(205) 678-6060 / Fax (205) 678-0453

Wayne Shirley, Fire Chief
Mark Turner, Deputy Chief

Capt. Ricky King, Fire Marshal
Lt. Mark Rikard, Fire Inspector
Lt. Scott Swann, Maintenance
Lt. Ben Barnes, Communications
Lt. Adam Reeves, EMS

It’s Time to Change Smoke Alarm Batteries

Submitted by Wayne Shirley, Fire Chief
Posted 10/14/2003