FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 a.m., and the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department is urging everyone to test their smoke alarms when turning back their clocks.
As the fall season ushers in cold weather, it also increases the risk of deadly home fires. That’s because heating equipment is the second most common cause of fatalities from home fires —which, on average, take seven lives every day in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. But working smoke alarms can double a person’s odds of survival.
We want everyone to stay safe this winter — on Nov. 2 before you go to bed, please take time check your smoke alarms.
The Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department asks everyone to take these steps:
· Check smoke alarm batteries. When turning the clocks back, take a few minutes to replace the smoke alarm batteries if needed and push the test button to make sure the alarms are working. It’s also a great time to check carbon monoxide detectors.
· Check the manufactory date of your Smoke alarm. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, most alarms have a life span of 8 to 10 years. After this time, the entire unit should be replaced. Most alarms have the date of manufacture inside the unit. We recommend you write the expiration date on the outside of the unit to serve as a quick reminder.
· Install smoke alarms. If you don’t have working smoke alarms, install them. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
· Practice an escape plan. Make sure everyone in the household knows two ways to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes.
For more fire safety tips, contact the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Prevention Section at 573.596.0886.
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