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Change your batteries at daylight savings time
Posted on Thu, October 25th, 2007
Written by: J.B. Baker, Editor
email: cdparentpg@aol.com
Twenty years ago, the people from Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) came up with an idea that likely has saved thousands of homes and perhaps as many children. The idea connected two unrelated activities – changing clocks for Daylight Saving Time and changing the batteries in smoke alarms. Over time, the concept has expanded to include changing other safety protection devices such as carbon monoxide detectors.
Since hardly anyone neglects to change their clocks, in 1987 Energizer and the IAFC decided to urge Americans through the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program to use the “extra hour” to change their smoke alarm batteries. This year, the day to set your clocks back and change batteries in your home protection devices is Nov. 4.
The program started with just two fire departments in St. Louis and Atlanta. Now as the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program celebrates its 20th anniversary, more than 5,900 fire departments across the country are participating. As a result, many Americans have gotten into the habit of changing their batteries at the same time they change their clocks.
While residents can change their batteries on these important safety alarms anytime, the fact was – and unfortunately still is – many do not. Tragically, approximately 80 percent of fatal home fire victims are children killed in homes without working smoke alarms. Each year about 1,000 children under the age of 20 die in house fires, an average of nearly three children each day. In addition, about 4,200 children are injured in residential fires each year.
Having a working smoke alarm can cut the odds of dying in a home fire nearly in half by adopting this simple habit.
Although 96 percent of American homes have smoke alarms, 19 percent of those homes have at least one nonworking smoke alarm, primarily because of worn out or missing batteries. The IAFC estimates more than 25 million homes are at risk.
Chief Steven P. Westermann, president of the IAFC, notes that children are particularly vulnerable during home fires. Children under age 5 are twice as likely as the population as a whole to die in home fires. Three out of five child fatalities result from children playing with fire, igniting mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture or clothing.
Five common reasons home smoke alarms do not function properly are:
• Batteries are not replaced in a timely fashion.
• Batteries are removed due to unwanted activation from situations such as cooking fumes.
• Batteries are removed due to a “chirping sound,” which actually indicates the battery needs to be replaced!
• Alarms and detectors are not cleaned regularly.
• Alarm is aged and possibly contains outdated parts or technology.
Each of these reasons is easily remedied by simply replacing the battery or the device.
In the weeks ahead of the clock change, fire departments across the nation will mount a media and education campaign that will focus attention on children. They will spread the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery message by inviting classes to the fire station for tours, sponsoring coloring contests and parades.
Many firefighters also will visit classrooms with smoke alarms and batteries for hands-on lessons and demonstrations. Students will use markers and paint to decorate T-shirts focusing on the campaign theme. Firefighters will talk to students about a family evacuation plan and what it means for their safety.
“We have no way of knowing exactly how many lives and homes have been saved as a result of this program,” said Westermann. “What we do know is that each year more Americans are replacing their batteries before they wear out and that helps make each alarm function properly. Many people mistakenly believe they will either see the flames or smell the smoke when a fire breaks out; however, most fire fatalities happen while families are asleep. Smoke by itself doesn’t provide a wake-up call, but a working smoke alarm surely will.”
You can contact cdparentpg@aol.com with any questions. Also, feel free to post comments below.
Readers had this to say
Nobody has made any comments about this yet... you could be the first. Comment about this article.
Posted on Thu, October 25th, 2007
Written by: J.B. Baker, Editor
email: cdparentpg@aol.com
Twenty years ago, the people from Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) came up with an idea that likely has saved thousands of homes and perhaps as many children. The idea connected two unrelated activities – changing clocks for Daylight Saving Time and changing the batteries in smoke alarms. Over time, the concept has expanded to include changing other safety protection devices such as carbon monoxide detectors.
Since hardly anyone neglects to change their clocks, in 1987 Energizer and the IAFC decided to urge Americans through the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program to use the “extra hour” to change their smoke alarm batteries. This year, the day to set your clocks back and change batteries in your home protection devices is Nov. 4.
The program started with just two fire departments in St. Louis and Atlanta. Now as the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program celebrates its 20th anniversary, more than 5,900 fire departments across the country are participating. As a result, many Americans have gotten into the habit of changing their batteries at the same time they change their clocks.
While residents can change their batteries on these important safety alarms anytime, the fact was – and unfortunately still is – many do not. Tragically, approximately 80 percent of fatal home fire victims are children killed in homes without working smoke alarms. Each year about 1,000 children under the age of 20 die in house fires, an average of nearly three children each day. In addition, about 4,200 children are injured in residential fires each year.
Having a working smoke alarm can cut the odds of dying in a home fire nearly in half by adopting this simple habit.
Although 96 percent of American homes have smoke alarms, 19 percent of those homes have at least one nonworking smoke alarm, primarily because of worn out or missing batteries. The IAFC estimates more than 25 million homes are at risk.
Chief Steven P. Westermann, president of the IAFC, notes that children are particularly vulnerable during home fires. Children under age 5 are twice as likely as the population as a whole to die in home fires. Three out of five child fatalities result from children playing with fire, igniting mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture or clothing.
Five common reasons home smoke alarms do not function properly are:
• Batteries are not replaced in a timely fashion.
• Batteries are removed due to unwanted activation from situations such as cooking fumes.
• Batteries are removed due to a “chirping sound,” which actually indicates the battery needs to be replaced!
• Alarms and detectors are not cleaned regularly.
• Alarm is aged and possibly contains outdated parts or technology.
Each of these reasons is easily remedied by simply replacing the battery or the device.
In the weeks ahead of the clock change, fire departments across the nation will mount a media and education campaign that will focus attention on children. They will spread the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery message by inviting classes to the fire station for tours, sponsoring coloring contests and parades.
Many firefighters also will visit classrooms with smoke alarms and batteries for hands-on lessons and demonstrations. Students will use markers and paint to decorate T-shirts focusing on the campaign theme. Firefighters will talk to students about a family evacuation plan and what it means for their safety.
“We have no way of knowing exactly how many lives and homes have been saved as a result of this program,” said Westermann. “What we do know is that each year more Americans are replacing their batteries before they wear out and that helps make each alarm function properly. Many people mistakenly believe they will either see the flames or smell the smoke when a fire breaks out; however, most fire fatalities happen while families are asleep. Smoke by itself doesn’t provide a wake-up call, but a working smoke alarm surely will.”
You can contact cdparentpg@aol.com with any questions. Also, feel free to post comments below.
Readers had this to say
Nobody has made any comments about this yet... you could be the first. Comment about this article.