Muscatine Fire Department is reminding residents to think about home safety when they change their clocks this weekend.

"The bi-annual changing of time is the perfect opportunity to make sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are up-to-date and in working order," Muscatine Fire Chief Jerry Ewers said. "This is a good time to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, change the batteries in these devices, replace outdated detectors, and to remind family and friends to do the same in their homes."

All residents are encouraged to check their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly and to change the batteries at least twice a year, or when the detectors make the "chirping" noise that indicates a low battery. The National Fire Prevention Agency also recommends that residences have at least one smoke detector per floor and one in each sleeping area. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are now required by state law.

Worn out or missing batteries are the most commonly cited reason for non-working smoke alarms, but changing smoke alarm batteries at least once a year, testing those alarms, and reminding others to do the same is the simplest and most effective way to reduce injury or death from fire.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs also recommends replacing smoke alarms in homes every 10 years and those that actually speak warnings are more effective in saving lives than those alarms that just beep.

"Studies have shown that children, especially, will sleep through an alarm that beeps because it sounds a lot like an alarm clock," Mike Hartman, Assistant Fire Chief, said. "The alarms that actually speak to you have been shown to greatly increase a person's ability to escape a fire."

The Fire Department also recommends photoelectric alarms with a 10-year lithium battery and to mark the date of installation on the detectors.

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"These detectors do not last forever," Hartman said. "It is important that you check the date on the detectors and replace those that are seven years old or more."

Early smoke detection and alarm notification is needed so occupants can escape before conditions become untenable. Interconnecting smoke alarms allows for faster notification of occupants in areas remote from where initial ignition occurs in the home.

The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms (12.3 deaths per 1,000 fires), either because no smoke alarm was present or an alarm was present but did not operate, as it was in homes with working smoke alarms (5.7 per 1,000 fires).

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