Time to check your smoke alarm batteries

Daylight Savings Time is rapidly approaching, and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance urges everybody in Illinois to take this opportunity to test their smoke alarms to ensure they are properly protected against fire.

Smoke alarms with removable batteries should receive a fresh set and smoke alarms with sealed-in batteries should be tested to ensure they are in proper working order.

According to research conducted by the National Fire Protection Association, three of every five home fire deaths occurs in a home without a smoke alarm or working smoke alarms, and the vast majority of these deaths are due to dead or missing batteries.

People frequently do not remember to rotate the batteries in their smoke alarms, or disconnect the alarms to silence annoying chirps. The result is a home that is defenseless against fire.

There is currently legislation before the Illinois General Assembly that would require that battery-powered smoke alarms be equipped with nonremovable, sealed-in batteries capable of powering the device for at least 10 years. Once installed, such alarms cannot be deactivated and require little maintenance.

"Smoke alarms are the single most important appliance you can have in your home," said Philip Zaleski, executive director of the IFSA.

"There have been far too many fatalities in homes without working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms with longer-lasting, nonremovable batteries cannot be tampered with or disabled, and we encourage all homeowners and landlords to consider installing these alarms to prevent future fire deaths in Illinois."

The IFSA reminds residents that smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside of each bedroom, sleeping area and on every level of a home, and they should be tested monthly. If a smoke alarm chirps, the battery should immediately be replaced. Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years with new units.

To read more about smoke alarms, fire safety and burn prevention, visit www.IFSA.org.

Since 1982, the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, has promoted fire safety, burn prevention, and public education across the state of Illinois. The IFSA also hosts burn survivor support programs such as the Young Adult Summit, Family Day, and Camp "I Am Me," a unique weeklong camp for children who have experienced severe burn injuries.