Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries on Sunday, March 12, 2017

O’Fallon, Illinois – February 28, 2017 – Mayor Gary L. Graham and the O’Fallon Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to remind residents that when you change your clocks for the start of daylight savings time on March 12, 2017, it’s also a great idea to change the batteries in your home smoke detectors.

“Home fires are devastating for everyone and we want to make sure that our residents are protected from these types of dangers,” said Mayor Graham.

The O’Fallon Fire Department actively supports the Change Your Clocks/Change Your Batteries program. The program promotes the changing of all household smoke detector batteries twice a year in order to raise awareness of the importance of properly working household smoke detectors. It is proven that working smoke detectors save lives.

The O’Fallon Fire Department offers the following tips for making sure the smoke alarms in your home are maintained and working properly:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.
• If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
• The manufacturers recommend that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms be replaced every 10 years.
• Reminder: Electric wired smoke detectors in residences have battery back-ups.
• Compressed air can be used to blow out detectors and reduce the chance of false alarms.

Residents with questions and/or concerns about updated smoke alarm requirements should contact the O’Fallon Fire Department at 618.624.4515. You may also visit National Fire Prevention Association’s web site at www.nfpa.org/smokealarms for more information.

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Additional Information Contact:

Pamala L. Funk

Asst. City Administrator

624-4500, ext. 8731