SPRINGFIELD, Ill.– The end of daylight saving time is a reminder to test and change batteries in smoke alarms.
The Office of the State Fire Marshall issued a reminder, that it is time to test and replace the batteries in smoke alarms, as you set your clocks back this weekend.
“The time change serves as a great reminder to test your smoke alarms and change the batteries in them,” says State Fire Marshal Matt Perez. “Parents can use this time to teach kids how to recognize the sound of smoke alarms and to practice their home fire safety plan.”
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports between 2012-2016, almost three out of every five home fire deaths in the U.S. resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or
non-working smoke alarms.
In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate,
more than two of every five of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
Dead batteries accounted for 25% of smoke alarm failures.
In Illinois, 79% of smoke alarms being replaced aren’t working.
A 2017 Illinois law required ten-year sealed smoke alarms be installed in all homes built before 1988 or that do not have hardwired smoke detectors by January 1, 2023.
“The “Be Alarmed!” program is designed to help residents in Illinois comply with the new law, but it’s really aimed at creating fire-safe communities,” says Fire Marshal Perez.
“By replacing alarms that have missing batteries or ones that are either expired or broken with new ten-year sealed detectors, this will help to reduce residential fire deaths across the state.”
“Be Alarmed!” is a fire safety education and smoke alarm installation program administered cooperatively between the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) and the Office of the Illinois State
Fire Marshal (OSFM).
This program provides ten-year, concealed battery smoke alarms to
Illinois residents through their local fire departments and can aid with obtaining and installing these required alarms.
