Grand Island, Neb. — As we ‘spring forward’ for Daylight Saving Time on March 10,
remember it’s also a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and other home
safety devices. You’re encouraged test your alarms monthly to determine whether your batteries need to
be replaced, and alarms are recommended in every bedroom and in main living spaces.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that nearly three out of five home
fire deaths are caused by fires in properties with no smoke alarms (41 percent) or smoke
alarms that failed to operate (16 percent). The NFPA also states the risk of dying in reported
home structure fires is 55 percent lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes
with no alarms or none that worked.
If you have home appliances that use wood or natural gas for fuel, you should have at least
one carbon monoxide (CO) detector. The NFPA describes carbon monoxide as the ‘invisible
killer.’ It is an odorless and colorless gas created when fuels burn incompletely. Any
appliances that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide.
Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. In 2016, the NFPA reports that local fire departments responded to an estimated 79,600
carbon monoxide incidents or an average of nine calls per hour. This does not include the
91,400 carbon monoxide alarm malfunctions and the 68,000 unintentional carbon monoxide
alarms. In 2017, 399 people died of unintentional non-fire carbon monoxide poisoning.
Remember that safety never takes a day off and neither should you.
