STATE FIRE MARSHAL BRIAN S. GERACI
RECOMMENDS
“CHANGE
YOUR CLOCK – CHANGE YOUR BATTERY ”
MAINTAIN WORKING SMOKE ALARMS
Statewide (October 26, 2015) – In anticipation of daylight
savings time ending in the early morning hours of Sunday, November 1st,
the State Fire Marshal is urging Marylanders to “Change Your Clock – Change Your Battery” in both smoke alarms and
carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in their homes.
Recognizing that working smoke alarms and CO detectors double a family’s
chance of surviving a home fire and/or an unsafe carbon monoxide level, the
State Fire Marshal says Daylight Savings Time is a great opportunity for
families to change the batteries. “This
simple procedure can help us avoid tragedies in the place we should feel the
most secure – our homes.”
REMINDER - A new law became effective on July 1, 2013 involving
“battery only” smoke alarms used in Maryland residential properties. When these “battery only” smoke alarms have
reached their 10-year life span, they need to be replaced with new long-life
sealed lithium battery smoke alarms with silence/hush button features. The
silence/hush button feature temporarily disables the alarm so the occupant can
ventilate the space from mild smoke conditions typically created during some
cooking operations. The use of these
alarms eliminates the need to replace the batteries during the 10 year life of
the alarm.
The
new law also requires homeowners to ensure they have a smoke alarm installed on
each floor and outside each sleeping area, per National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) recommendations. It
is recommended to install smoke alarms inside each bedroom as well.
If
your property is protected with 120 volt electric smoke alarms, they also
should be replaced every 10 years with new 120 volt smoke alarms w/ battery
back-up to ensure proper and timely operation in the event of a fire. NOTE ** Manufacturers have recently made available: 120 volt electric smoke
alarms with 10 year lithium batteries to eliminate the need to replace
batteries during the suggested life of the alarms. **
Along with working smoke alarms and CO detectors, home
escape plans are another way Marylanders can avoid injury or death in their
homes. By identifying at least two
different escape routes, families can practice the plan together – before an
emergency strikes. Practicing the plan
helps educate younger children to the danger of hazardous situations and the
importance of recognizing that the sound of a smoke alarm or CO detector
signals a potential hazard in the home. “Changing
the battery in your smoke alarms and CO detectors, along with developing and
practicing a home escape plan, are three of the best ways to protect your loved
ones and yourself from fire and carbon monoxide poisoning,” stated Fire
Marshal Geraci. These life saving
electronic devices have a life expectancy of ten years for smoke alarms and
seven years for CO detectors. Please
replace the units at these intervals to ensure optimal performance in the event
an incident involving fire or a carbon monoxide leak was to occur.
Please observe the overhead electronic signs as you travel
throughout the State this weekend. The
Office of the State Fire Marshal and all Marylanders thank the Maryland
Department of Transportation and the State Highway Administration for assisting
to spread the word about this life saving reminder.
###
The Office
of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of State Police
dedicated to helping protect citizens from fire and explosion through a
comprehensive program of education, inspection, investigation and fire
protection engineering. For more
information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at: www.firemarshal.mdsp.gov and/or http://facebook.com/MarylandStateFireMarshal.
Media contact: Bruce D. Bouch, Deputy State Fire
Marshal; 443-324-6876
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