Friday, March 8, 2013, Public Service Announcement: Change Your Clock-Change Your Batteries…….West End Fire Company is urging all residents to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms this weekend for Daylight Saving Time. This year, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 10. Fresh batteries allow smoke and CO alarms to do their jobs, saving lives by alerting families of a fire or a buildup of deadly carbon monoxide in their homes.

CPSC estimates a yearly average of 386,300 residential fires resulting in nearly 2,400 deaths between 2006 and 2008.

Two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. That is why it is essential to replace batteries at least once every year and test your alarms every month to ensure they work. In addition, CPSC recommends that consumers have smoke alarms on every level of their home, outside and inside each bedroom.

CPSC estimates an annual average of 183 unintentional non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with consumer products between 2006 and 2008. CO is called the “invisible killer” because it is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. Because of this, people may not know they are being poisoned. Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete burning of fuel in various products, including furnaces, portable generators, fireplaces, cars, and charcoal grills.

That is why it is essential to have working CO alarms in the home, on each level, and outside each sleeping area.