Check batteries in smoke detectors

Local News

March 13, 2010

From staff reports The Picayune Item Picayune Item Sat Mar 13, 2010, 07:19 PM CST

PICAYUNE — This weekend when clocks are adjusted to compensate for daylight savings time smoke detectors should also get some attention.

According to a press release from the U.S. Fire Administration there is no better time to check smoke detectors in a home than when time changes. Doing so will establish a yearly ritual and serve as a reminder to ensure these devices are working properly, especially since they are the only thing in a home that alerts people to fires at all hours of the day and night.

“Smoke detectors save lives, no two way’s about it,” said Pearl River County Emergency Management Director Danny Manley.

Manley said it has been his experience that no one in Pearl River County has died in a house fire that had working smoke detectors.

The press release states that working smoke detectors can alert a person to a house fire even if they are asleep, allowing them to get to safety. However since these devices are powered by batteries they should be checked yearly. To do so look for a button on the device labeled “test” and push it. If the device makes a noise the battery should still be good.

While some smoke detectors are also hardwired into the home’s electrical system, it still a good idea to check the back-up battery in such a device.

Smoke detectors are most effective if they are clean from dust and debris. The release suggests removing any dust from the device’s slots to allow smoke to enter it easily. Smoke detectors themselves should be replaced every 10 years. Each detector should have an expiration date on it to determine when that time comes.

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