State Fire Commissioner: Change Smoke Alarm, Carbon Monoxide Detector Batteries When Changing Clocks This Weekend

State Fire Commissioner: Change Smoke Alarm, Carbon Monoxide Detector
Batteries When Changing Clocks This Weekend

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When turning clocks back
by one hour on Nov. 1, Pennsylvanians should also change the batteries in
smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, Pennsylvania State Fire
Commissioner Ed Mann said today.

"Approximately every three hours, a home fire death occurs somewhere in the
United States, and 80 percent of those deaths occur in homes without working
smoke alarms," said Mann. "Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are
inexpensive and are proven to save lives and property, but the devices are
useless if not properly maintained."

Worn or missing batteries are the most common reason why smoke alarms fail to
work. Changing the batteries at least once a year is one of the simplest, most
effective ways to prevent tragic deaths and injuries. Working smoke alarms cut
the risk of dying in a home fire almost in half.

Carbon monoxide is created when combustible materials burn incompletely. Often
called "the silent killer," it is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that
can kill before victims are even aware they've been exposed. Sources include
wood-burning fireplaces and stoves, gas-fired appliances, grills, and motor
vehicles. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are often mistaken for the flu
and include nausea, headaches, dizziness, disorientation and fatigue.

Mann urged all Pennsylvanians to adopt the simple, lifesaving habit of
changing smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries when changing
clocks back to standard time each fall. Residents are encouraged to check the
batteries again during the spring time change on March 14, 2010.

"The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when
most families are sleeping," said Mann. "Being vigilant about testing and
maintaining smoke alarms is a simple, effective way to save lives. Children
and older adults are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the
extra seconds they need to get out safely."

Whether a unit is battery-powered or hardwired, it should be replaced every
8-10 years. It is a good idea to write the date of purchase inside the unit
before installation.

Commissioner Mann also urged residents to use the "extra" hour they gain from
the time change to test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors by pushing
the test button, planning "two ways out" and practicing escape routes with the
entire family. Families should also prepare a fire safety kit that includes
working flashlights and fresh batteries.

Information about how to prevent fires and prepare for emergencies is
available online at www.ReadyPA.org. For more information on the fire service
in Pennsylvania, visit www.osfc.state.pa.us, or call 1-800-670-3473.

Media contact: Ruth A. Miller, 717-651-2009

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner

Ruth A. Miller of the Office of the State Fire Commissioner, +1-717-651-2009