State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey reminds residents this weekend’s time change is a good time to check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace batteries.
Ostroskey says, “Most fatal fires occur at night when you are sleeping. Working smoke alarms give us the extra time to get out of a burning house. This weekend, as you change your clocks, check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.”
The State Fire Code requires replacing expired battery-operated smoke alarms in older one- and two-family homes with photoelectric ones that have 10-year, sealed, non-replaceable, non-rechargeable batteries and a hush feature. Ostroskey says, “Fire officials hope that if we make smoke alarms easier for people to maintain, they will take care of them. We see too many disabled smoke alarms in fires when people really needed them to work.”
Chief Michael Newbury, president of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Massachusetts, adds, “Every ten years the entire alarm needs to be replaced, not just the batteries,” he added. “Prevent that annoying chirp of a dying smoke alarm by regularly replacing batteries and testing the alarms,” said Newbury. Carbon monoxide alarms usually need to be replaced after 5-7 years.
In addition, 248 fire departments across the state offer Senior SAFE Programs. Seniors who need help testing, maintaining or replacing smoke alarms should contact their local fire department or senior center for assistance. Ostroskey notes, “Almost half of the people who died in fires last year were over 65. We want our seniors to be safe from fire in their own homes.”