Just when you thought that Halloween was going to be over too soon, we are happy to say to the party goers that the are going to gain an extra hour on Sunday morning as we return to standard time. However, this time is also the perfect time not only to catch up on some extra sleep but also change the batteries in your smoke and fire detectors.
Given that many of the apartments in our city are multi-family, proper working smoke detectors are a necessity that can save your life.
So when buying the Halloween candy this year, pick up some batteries for the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
One of the best things one can do as to get our homes ready for winter, is to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries. A working smoke alarm is your first line of defense in a fire. Time is your enemy in a fire and working smoke detectors give you precious time to use your home escape plan before poisonous gases and heat make escape impossible.â€
The following tips are offered:
- Replace Aging Smoke & CO Alarms
- No appliance lasts forever. “When changing your alarm’s batteries check to see if your detectors need to be replaced. Smoke detectors last about ten years and older carbon monoxide detectors last 5-7.
- Ten Year Alarms
- There are some new smoke and CO detectors that come with a sealed 10-year lithium battery. The batteries in these detectors never need changing, but the entire alarm needs to be replaced every ten years.
For more information on smoke detectors in Massachusetts contact your local fire prevention office or go to: www.mass.gov/dfs and type Smoke Detectors in the search box.