WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Get ready to turn back your clocks this weekend! While you're thinking about the time change, experts say you should also be thinking about testing your smoke alarms.
Looking at your smoke alarm and making sure it works takes just a few minutes to do and it can make all the difference if a fire breaks out in your home.
"Press the button, you'll hear the loud sound that's meant to wake you up from your sleep. It's that simple," stated Chief Jay Delaney, Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department.
As you turn back your clocks this weekend, experts say it's also a good time to test your smoke alarms.
"This is a great time because everybody has to turn their clock back. We have to make sure that we're in sync with our time and if you just check out your smoke alarms this is a wonderful time to get in that habit," explained Sherry Nealon-Shrive, executive director at NEPA Chapter of American Red Cross.
Chief Delaney says three out of five fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms.
"A working smoke alarm is as important as your fire department. So you have a better than fifty percent chance that you'll survive a fire if you have a working smoke alarm."
A working smoke alarm provides early detection, making all the difference during a fire.
"The technology inside the smoke detector sees the size of a molecule of smoke evaluates it and then sends that signal off," Chief Delaney continued.
The devices are built to last. This detector withstood a fire. Chief Delaney says it was still going off when firefighters arrived.
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Smoke detectors are relatively affordable, and most should be replaced every ten years.
In addition to checking your smoke detector, experts say it is also a good time to clean out your dryer vents, change your air filters, check your heating system, and create an up-to-date emergency plan for your family.
"We wanna make sure that we take care of our community and make sure that you at least have all the information you can to keep your family safe and make sure you have a plan for if something happens," expressed Nealon-Shrive.
Experts recommend putting smoke alarms in every bedroom and on every floor of your home. You can take this initiative a step further by checking your alarms monthly.
If you need assistance with getting or installing a smoke alarm, the American Red Cross offers a service where they do it for you.
If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Visit SoundTheAlarm.org/GreaterPA for more information or contact your local Red Cross for help.
