Fall Back, Check Your Smoke Alarms

When someone in the U.S. dies in fire inside their home, statistics show most often the batteries inside the smoke detector were not working.

This weekend, fire officials urge everyone to check the batteries inside their smoke detectors to help prevent fatal fires. And there’s no more perfect time to check your batteries than when we “fall back” and Daylight Savings time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday.

“A few simple steps like checking smoke alarms and replacing your batteries, developing a family communications plan, and putting an emergency kit together can go a long way toward keeping families safe,” said Stafford fire and rescue spokesman Mark Doyle.

According to the U.S. Fire Service, 58 percent of homes that fell victim to fires had a smoke detector inside. But in the case of fatal residential fires in the U.S., 37 percent of homes had a smoke detector that was not working because of missing or dead batteries.

Officials also urge residents not to remove batteries from their smoke detectors simply because steam from a shower sets it off. They suggest opening a window so steam can flow out or hitting a “hush” button on detectors equipped with them, or move the detector further away from the shower area.

As more than 3,000 people in the U.S. die each year in fires, it’s also important to know how to escape your home in the event of a fire.

“I encourage everyone to fully inspect their homes for fire hazards” said Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department Assistant Chief Hadden Culp. “Checking the operation of your smoke alarm and having an escape plan that everyone knows will save many lives as we move into the winter months, statistically one of our busiest times of the year.”