OSFD Reminder: Change Your Clocks, Change Your Smoke and CO Detector Batteries

OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. - Oct. 26, 2014 - PRLog -- The Old Saybrook Fire Depatment wants to remind everyone that a working smoke and CO (Carbon Monoxide) detector can make the differnce between life and death.

That's why they are joining with fire departments nationwide in promoting the annual Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery campaign on Sunday, November 2, 2014.

Fire Dept Member Max Sabrin encourages all residents to adopt this simple, life-saving habit. “It’s an easy, inexpensive, and proven way to protect your family and your home,” says Sabrin.

When you change your clocks, remember to change the batteries in your smoke & carbon monoxide detectors, and please take a moment to perform the suggested maintenance outlined below.

Replacement

Replace your smoke detector battery once a year. (Choose a specific date, such as when you are updating the time on your clocks.) When a battery is running low, the detector will "beep," indicating that the battery needs to be replaced. Do not use rechargeable batteries.

If you have a "nuisance detector" that goes off frequently with cooking fumes or humidity from the bathroom, do not remove the battery. Move the detector farther from the kitchen or bathroom. If the problem continues, you may wish to change to a different type of detector. A photo-electric smoke detector may meet your needs.

Smoke detectors also need to be replaced every 10 years and CO (Carbon Monoxide) detectors need to replaced every 5 years. Wired-in smoke detectors require testing, as well, and also have a failure rate. Please refer to the owner's manual or change them every 10 years.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the maximum life cycle of a smoke detector is 10 years from the date of manufacture, not the date of installation. Beginning in 2002, all smoke detectors must have a manufacture date marked on the outside of the smoke detector. If your smoke detector does not have a manufacture date, then it is older than 10 years and must be replaced.

Testing

Test your smoke detector every month by pressing the "test button" on the face of the detector. Ifyour detector fails, replace the battery and repeat. If it continues to fail, replace the detector.

Maintenance

Maintain your detector by gently vacuuming the exterior (using the small brush attachment fromyour vacuum) or wipe with a soft cloth.

Recent surveys conducted for the National Fire Protection Association and the Consumer Products Safety Commission found that 96% of all homes have at least one smoke detector, but only 75% have at least one working smoke detector. Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke detectors or no working smoke detector. Smoke detector failures usually result from missing or dead batteries or disconnected wires. The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most families are sleeping. A working smoke detector can provide the critical extra seconds needed to get people out safely.