Life Safety Park wants to remind residents to "change your clocks and change your batteries" this month!
"Fresh batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors can help provide the extra seconds needed to save a life," said Coppell Fire Chief Kevin Richardson. "The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 pm and 7 am, when most families are asleep. It is vital to have these warning devices in good working order to wake the family if there is imminent danger. Smoke alarm maintenance is key to keeping a family safe."
Homes should also have carbon monoxide detectors, and the batteries should be changed during this time as well. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas. Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning cause symptoms similar to those of the flu or a cold. Higher levels of poisoning lead to dizziness, mental confusion, severe headache, and in severe cases, even death.
Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to sound an alert before the exposure to carbon monoxide would present a hazard to a healthy adult. Experts recommend that every home have at least one working carbon monoxide detector — ideally, one for every level of the home.
The time change is a good opportunity to test and clean smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors by following the manufacturers' instructions. Smoke alarms can be 'cleaned' by vacuuming them monthly or utilizing compressed air, and entire units should be replaced after ten years of service. Carbon monoxide detectors typically have a lifetime of 5-7 years.