CHANGE YOUR CLOCK, CHANGE YOUR BATTERY!

PEARL RIVER, LA - Before you go to bed on Saturday night, make sure you set your clock back one hour but just as important as that extra hour of sleep, be sure to check the batteries in your smoke alarms. Deaths as a result of smoke and fire are reduced by nearly 60% in homes that have operational smoke alarms. Two thirds of home fire deaths in Louisiana happen in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half! Safety Tips for proper smoke alarm installations: Install smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. Large homes may need extra smoke alarms. It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms. When one smoke alarm sounds they all sound. Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working. There are two kinds of alarms. Ionization smoke alarms are quicker to warn about flaming fires. Photoelectric alarms are quicker to warn about smoldering fires. It is best to use both types of alarms in the home. A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove. People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Once the smoke alarms sound, get out of your home and stay out until it is safe to return. SOURCE: National Fire Protection Association If someone is in need of a FREE smoke alarm, we have plenty available! We have a program in place called “Operation Save A Life” which is a program we run in coordination with the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshall. It is grant program funded by the state of Louisiana. Citizens just need to make contact with us and we will come to their home and install the smoke alarm. To have us come install a free smoke alarm, visit our Operation Save A Life page by clicking HERE! For the official MEDIA RELEASE click HERE.