On Sunday March 9 when we spring one hour ahead, make sure to change batteries in all your home safety devices (smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, flashlights, etc.). Working smoke alarms are critical to helping save your life. Each month news reports have stressed how important smoke alarms were in either saving a life or unfortunately reporting that someone had died in a home with non-working or no smoke alarms.
If you installed the 10-year lithium smoke alarms then you have eliminated the need for batteries every year; however, a little spring cleaning for your home safety devices will ensure they are free of dust or defect. Make sure your other devices have new batteries or just check to see if batteries are present. Checking all your home safety devices can be a family activity which will reinforce to all that safety is a top priority. Having the devices is the first step, but making sure they are working and having a plan brings safety full circle.
Other steps to help your family stay safe include residential home sprinklers, a home escape plan, and general preparedness for various natural disasters, such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, etc. Having a plan and making sure you have all the equipment/items you need will help in your families safety. For more life safety information, visit www.sbcfire.org.