Time to Change Your Clocks - and Your Batteries

and the time most people in the U.S. get to turn their clocks back one hour. Loganville Fire Chief Danny Roberts is urging everyone to remember to use the occasion to change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

In a press release from the Loganville Fire Department, it was noted that 38 percent of fatal fire injuries occur in homes without working smoke alarms, and 24 percent occur in homes that have smoke alarms present but failed to operate, usually due to missing or dead batteries?

A story last week in Loganville Patch about a 6-year-old whose bed caught alight as a result of a damaged heated blanket illustrates the life saving benefits of a working fire alarm. Rayman Stanelle was awaked by the fire alarm to find his son's bed on fire. The early alert enabled the family to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher.

The Fire Safety theme this year is to have two ways out. Roberts noted the following key points in this year's program:

•  Install working smoke alarms on every level; and inside and outside of each sleeping area.
• Develop a fire escape plan that identifies two ways out of each room and a family meeting place outside.
• Make sure your plan allows for any specific needs in your household. If everyone knows what to do, everyone can get out quickly.
• Practice using the plan, at least twice a year.
• Some studies have shown that some children and adults may not awaken to the sound of a smoke alarm; they may need help waking up.
• If the smoke alarm sounds: Go to your closest exit, and if you run into smoke, turn and use another way out. If you must exit through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit. Don’t take time to pick up belongings; just get out and help others get out. Move fast but stay calm.

This is a life saving message from the Change Your Clock, Change Your Batteries program. For more information about fire safety, call the City of Loganville Fire Department or the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® hotline at 314-727-5700, x104.