It's almost time to "spring forward" to save an hour of daylight, a practice most states have followed since the 1960s. Daylight saving time officially starts this weekend, specifically Sunday, March 13, at 2:00 am. As you gear up to reset the clocks around your home, Thomasville Fire Rescue (TFR) would like to remind you that it's also the perfect opportunity to practice fire safety and check your smoke alarms.
"As you're adjusting the clocks throughout your home, it just makes sense to check and change your smoke alarm batteries," said Tim Connell, Fire Rescue Chief for the City of Thomasville. "It's an easy process. The hard part is just remembering to do it, so tying it in with Daylight saving time just makes sense."
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that all homes should have working smoke alarms on every floor, particularly in the hallways outside of each sleeping area. Chief Connell noted that smoke alarms that are missing or not working play a role in nearly three out of five home fire-related deaths. "The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms," noted Connell.
The process of testing smoke alarm batteries can be tedious, but it's an important habit to develop. TFR assists Thomasville residents through a free smoke alarm installation and testing program if you'd rather leave this task to fire safety professionals. "This program is an important resource for our community," said Connell. "Make an appointment with us, and we'll come out to your home and install and check your smoke alarms. We need to keep residents safe, and this program does just that."
Thomasville Fire Rescue also recommends testing your smoke alarms monthly and replacing your smoke alarms every ten years. "Smoke alarms become ineffective after about ten years, so remember to check the manufacture date on your alarms," noted Connell.
If you're a resident of Thomasville and would like to schedule an appointment for smoke alarm installation or testing, please call 229-227-4099 for more information.