As we prepare to change our clocks this Sunday, March 10, 2019, for Daylight Saving Time, the Beavercreek Township Fire Department reminds everyone to also change the batteries in every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector in their homes.
When properly installed, working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors can mean the difference between life and death.
- In 2012-2016, smoke alarms sounded in more than half (53%) of the home fires reported to U.S. fire departments.
- Almost three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (40%) or no working smoke alarms (17%).
- No smoke alarms were present in two out of every five (40%) home fire deaths.
- The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (12.3 deaths vs. 5.7 deaths per 1,000 fires).
- In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, more than two of every five (43%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
- Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25%) of the smoke alarm failures.
Source: NFPA's "Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires" report