As the time change approaches on Sunday, November 1, the North Tahoe Fire District wants to remind residents to make another change that could save their lives – changing the batteries in their smoke alarms.
Communities nationwide witness tragic home fire deaths each year. An average of three children per day die in home fires and 80 percent of those occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The most commonly cited cause of non-working smoke alarms? Worn or missing batteries.
‘The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most families are sleeping,’ says North Tahoe Fire Chief Duane Whitelaw. ‘Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.’ In addition, Chief Whitelaw recommends residents use the ‘extra’ hour they save from the time change to test smoke alarms by pushing the test button, planning ‘two ways out’ and practicing escape routes with the entire family. Families are encouraged to prepare a fire safety kit that includes working flashlights and fresh batteries.
To take it further, Whitelaw recommends a ‘Carbon Monoxide’ alarm, reducing your family’s risk to the number one cause of accidental poisoning death in the U.S. The North Tahoe Fire District provides alarms and batteries to those in need on a limited basis.
For more information about fire safety, call the North Tahoe Fire District at 530-583-6913.
Tragically, fire can kill selectively. Those most at risk include:
• Children: Approximately, 1,000 children under the age of 20 die each year in home fires. Children under age five are at twice the risk of dying in a home fire. Eighty percent of fatal home fire victims who were children were killed in homes without working smoke alarms.
• Seniors: Adults over age 75 are three times more likely to die in home fires than the rest of the population; those over 85 are 4.5 times more likely to die in a home fire. Many seniors are unable to escape quickly.
• Low-Income Households: Many low-income families are unable to afford batteries for their smoke alarms. The same households often rely on poorly installed, maintained or misused portable or area heating equipment – a main cause of fatal home fires.
