The Crookston Fire Department’s Brian Hanson reminds Crookston residents to change batteries in their smoke alarms this weekend. “It’s that time of year where we set our clocks back and as firefighters, we’d like to see you change the batteries in your smoke detectors when you change your clocks,” said Hanson. “You should have at least one smoke detector at least in all on every floor and inside and outside of sleeping areas. Make sure you test them after you change the batteries and any smoke detector that is ten years old should be replaced. The American Red Cross also urges everyone to test their smoke alarms when daylight savings time ends on Sunday.
As the fall season ushers in cold weather, it also increases the risk of deadly home fires. Heating equipment is the second most common cause of fatalities from home fires—which, on average, take seven lives every day in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. But working smoke alarms can double a person’s odds of survival. “The Red Cross wants everyone to stay safe this winter,” said Lynn Speral, CEO of the Dakotas Region of the Red Cross. “This weekend, please take time to ‘turn and test’ to protect you and your family against the life-threatening risk of home fires.”
This weekend, the Red Cross asks everyone to take these simple steps:
· Check smoke alarm batteries. When turning the clocks back, take a few minutes to replace the smoke alarm batteries and push the test button to make sure the alarms are working. It’s also a great time to check carbon monoxide detectors.
· Install smoke alarms. If you don’t have working smoke alarms, install them. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Visit redcross.org/homefires to request free smoke alarms from the Red Cross.
· Practice an escape plan. Make sure everyone in the household knows two ways to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes.
Through the national Home Fire Campaign, the American Red Cross works with community partners to reduce deaths and injuries from home fires by going door-to-door year-round to install free smoke alarms and help residents create home fire escape plans. Since the campaign began in 2014, the Red Cross has reached more than 12,000 people in the Dakotas Region by:
- Installing more than 14,500 free smoke alarms
- Replacing 1,225 smoke alarm batteries
- Helping families make 4,135 home fire escape plans
- Reaching more than 2,000 children through youth preparedness programs
