As residents prepare to turn their clocks back one hour when daylight saving time ends on November 1, the Madeira Beach Fire Department is encouraging everyone to take a few extra minutes to check their smoke alarms.
The seasonal time change serves as an important reminder to test smoke alarms, replace batteries if needed, and ensure alarms throughout the home are working properly.
Working smoke alarms are one of the simplest and most effective ways to help protect lives and property in the event of a fire.
Residents are encouraged to:
- Test all smoke alarms monthly.
- Replace batteries if needed.
- Check the age of each alarm and replace units more than 10 years old.
- Ensure smoke alarms are installed on every level of the home, inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas.
“Don’t just fall back. Check back,” said Fire Marshal Raul Perez. “We encourage residents to use the time change as a safety check reminder. Test your smoke alarms, replace batteries if needed, and make sure your alarms are less than 10 years old. It’s a quick task that can make a life-saving difference.”
The Fire Department reminds residents that smoke alarms should never be ignored when they chirp or signal a low battery condition, as proper maintenance is essential for dependable operation.
As clocks are turned back this weekend, the City of Madeira Beach encourages all residents to use that extra hour as an opportunity to complete this simple but important safety check.
One hour back. One quick safety check. One important step toward keeping your household safe.
For more fire safety information, contact your local fire department or city government.
Information courtesy of the City of Madeira Beach.