Time to Swap Smoke Alarm Batteries

Now that Daylight Savings time has passed, it is time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms immediately. This should be done to make sure that alarms are working properly so that you can your family can be protected against harmful fumes and fires.

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, two-thirds of house fires occur in homes without working smoke detectors or in homes with no alarms at all. That is why the Citrus County Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton urge you and your loved ones to check all alarms at least once a month and make sure smoke detectors are installed on every level of your home. This will only ensure that you and the rest of your family members are protected against a potentially defective alarm in case of an emergency.

This year alone, the fire departments of America responded to more than 366,700 residential fires. Of those, more than 12,500 people were injured and another 2,300 killed. Every year, house fires result in more than $7.9 billion in property losses.

In addition to making sure your smoke detectors are properly installed and working correctly, also make sure that your carbon monoxide detectors are in proper working order. These alarms are equally as important as your smoke detectors because they will warn you if any colorless or odorless carbon monoxide gases become too strong and place you and your family at risk.

The Citrus County Sheriff Fire Rescue personnel strongly urge everyone to follow these additional steps to protect your home, business and other properties:

• Outfit your home or office with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms, also known as dual-sensor alarms.
• Replace an alarm if it is more than 10 years old or does not work correctly when tested.
• When changing batteries on alarms, dust or vacuum them as well.
• Interconnect every smoke alarm in your home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Most stores that carry smoke alarms have interconnected alarms you can purchase.
• Talk with everyone in your family to make sure they fully understand the smoke alarm’s warning and how to respond.

Lastly, it is very important for you and your family to prepare and practice an escape plan should a fire arise. Plan to meet in a secure place that’s a safe distance from your home and where you can be spotted easily by first responders.

If you have any questions regarding your smoke or carbon monoxide alarms, visit the Sheriff’s Office website by clicking here .

If you or a loved one has been injured, it is important to understand your rights. Contact a Citrus County Personal Injury Attorney at Whittel & Melton today online or call 352-726-0078 for a free legal consultation. We are equipped to handle premises liability, wrongful death and other injury cases in Inverness, Crystal River, Beverly Hills, Lecanto, Homosassa, Dunnellon, Hernando, Sugarmill Woods, Citrus Springs and Floral City.