Fall Back on Sound Advice: Time to Change Your Clock AND Your Smoke Alarm Batteries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2011

For more information, please contact:
Scott Smith, Fire Prevention Officer, City of Bloomington, 349.3888, [mailto:smiths@bloomington.in.gov]
Jared Schlemmer, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349.3406, [mailto:schlemmj@bloomington.in.gov]




Bloomington, IN -- As residents switch their clocks back to standard time this weekend, City of Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) Fire Prevention Officer Scott Smith reminds them to test their home smoke alarms and replace the batteries if they are more than six months old.

A working smoke alarm is critical in saving lives and giving family members time to escape. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) recommends following these simple steps to protect your life, your loved ones and your home:

• Dust or vacuum smoke alarms when you change the batteries.

• Test alarms once a month using the test button.

• Replace the entire alarm if it's more than 10 years old or doesn't work properly when tested.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, and both inside and outside of sleeping areas.

• For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor alarms.

• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout your home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Interconnected alarms are available at most stores that sell smoke alarms.

• Make sure everyone in your home understands the warning of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.

• Prepare and practice an escape plan so that you and your loved ones can get out of your home safely should there be a fire. Plan to meet in a place a safe distance from the fire and where first responders can easily see you.

If you have questions or know someone who can't afford to buy a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, please contact the BFD at 332-9763 or [mailto:fire@bloomington.in.gov]. For more information on smoke alarms, fire escape planning and fire prevention, visit the USFA website at [www.usfa.fema.gov/smokealarms|www.usfa.fema.gov/smokealarms].

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