Time change, A Reminder That Can Save Lives

Reminding you to set your clocks back this November 4, 2012 also gives the CAL FIRE San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono Unit the opportunity to stress the importance of changing the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. The few moments taken to make this change could save lives. Smoke alarms with non-replaceable (long-life) batteries are designed to remain effective for up to ten years. However, CAL FIRE urges you to use the time change as a reminder to check your detectors and alarms to make sure that they are working and if need be, change the battery or the detector.


In the United States, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with inoperable or no smoke alarms present. On average, families have less than three minutes from the time the first smoke alarm sounds to escape a fire. This fact tells the importance of having functioning alarms in your home, giving you and your family the opportunity to receive the benefits the devices were designed to provide.

Households with non-working smoke alarms outnumber those with no smoke alarms. It really is as simple as changing the devices batteries once a year to prevent potential injury and/or death to yourself, family members and friends. Placing new batteries into your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors is a very inexpensive form of life insurance. Be an advocate for your family, friends and neighbors, change your batteries and pass the message on throughout your community.

“The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are asleep,” says CAL FIRE San Bernardino Deputy Unit Chief Rod Bywater. According to CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit Fire Prevention Battalion Chief Preston Fouts, “Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths and injuries. Children and senior citizens are most at risk and a working smoke alarm can provide the extra life saving seconds they need to get out safely.” For more fire safety information please visit http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/SmokeAlarms.pdf .