The precious hour of sleep that goes lost due to daylight savings time is coming back, so it's time to turn those clocks back, but it's also time to test your home smoke alarms.
According to the American Red Cross, home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster and take seven lives every day in the United States.
“It’s critical to take action now to be as safe as possible as the threat of home fires increases with the holidays and cooler weather,” said Josett Valdez, Regional CEO, Red Cross South Florida Region.
“Just in the month of October, Red Cross volunteers in this area responded to 29 home fires serving 120 people that were affected. The good news is that you can take a few simple steps this weekend to help protect your loved ones.”
In addition to testing your smoke alarms this weekend, follow these three steps get your home ready:
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
- Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. Components such as sensors can become less sensitive over time. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.
- Practice your two-minute home fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — that’s the amount of time you may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late. Include at least two ways to get out of every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet.
For more information, including safety tips and other resources, visit redcross.org/homefires or download the free Red Cross Emergency app.
