State Fire Marshal urges residents to check smoke alarms when changing clocks this weekend
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The State Fire Marshal’s Office wants to remind Tennesseans to take the time to check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when setting clocks forward this weekend.
The time will spring forward one hour this Sunday night, March 11.
State fire data indicates that 54 percent of Tennessee residential structure fires in 2017 occurred in homes where there were no smoke alarms.
During that period, 45 percent of smoke alarms failures were due to missing or dead batteries in the device.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office shares the following safety tips on residential smoke alarms:
– Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, including the basement. For best protection, smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside sleeping rooms. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like.
– For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual-sensor alarms. Interconnect the alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound.
– Smoke alarms with non-replaceable (long-life) batteries are available and are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps on these units, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
– For smoke alarms with any other type of battery, replace batteries at least once a year (preferably twice a year during daylight saving time). If that alarm chirps, replace only the battery.
– Remember, even alarms that are hard-wired into your home electrical system need to have their battery back-ups maintained in case of electrical power outage.
– Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working well. The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.
– Test alarms once a month using the test button. Replace the entire alarm if it’s 10 years old or older or if it fails to sound when tested.
– Devise a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and a designated outside meeting place. Share and practice the plan with all who live in the home, including children.
– When a smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place to call 911.
For more home fire safety information or to download a free copy of the 2018 Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office calendar, visit tn.gov/fire.
