Daylight Savings Time (DST) arrives this month – earlier than ever before – and with the time change comes a reminder from all of us at the Broward Sheriff's Office to change the batteries in your home smoke alarm.
DST begins Sunday, March 11th – and because of the date change this year some of your preprogrammed time keeping devices and computers may not automatically subtract the hour we lose. But all glitches aside, firefighters here and across the country will be reminding folks to check their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as they check their clocks at home.
One of the most important tools to help survive a fire in the home is a working smoke alarm, and since it's estimated that more than half of residential fire fatalities happen in homes where there is no smoke alarm, this is more important than ever. According to statistics from the State Fire Marshal's Office, there are more than 200 fires in Florida homes every day. Forty percent start in the kitchen, over 22 percent are caused by faulty wiring, followed by careless smoking, children playing with matches or lighters, and unattended heating devices.
In addition to smoke alarms we're also recognizing the need to have a carbon monoxide (CO) detector installed. Most homes have smoke alarms today but far fewer have carbon monoxide alarms. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas that people cannot see or smell. Common sources of CO include a car engine running in an attached garage, portable gasoline-powered generators, and charcoal grills or camp stoves used indoors.
Smoke alarms should be placed on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom. CO alarms should also be installed outside each sleeping area.
Smoke detectors only cost a few dollars, but if you don't have one and you can't buy one, or you cannot install one yourself, BSO's Department of Fire Rescue will provide and install one for you, free of charge. I feel so strongly about the need for detectors that I don't want any home to be without one. If you're a Broward County resident and would like to learn more about the BSO free smoke alarm giveaway and installation program, contact the BSO Fire Marshal's Bureau at (954) 831-8210.