The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office is urging the public to check their smoke alarms as they ‘spring forward’ before going to bed Saturday night.
State Fire Marshal spokesperson JC Fultz says daylight saving time serves as a good reminder to make sure your smoke detectors are working, testing and replacing batteries as needed.
“We’re also inspecting, because smoke alarms have a shelf life of about ten years, so if you find a smoke alarm that is expired don’t wait, go out and replace it today, because not having it can give you the early warning to get out of the house or something bad happening,” said Fultz.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2014 to 2018, nearly three out of every five fire deaths in the US occurred in homes with no working smoke detector.
Fultz also recommends families practice their escape plan and meeting area in case of a fire.
Daylight savings time officially begins at two Sunday morning.
