Free smoke alarm batteries available at all Minneapolis fire stations
Daylight-saving time is traditionally a time of year when people change the batteries in their home smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Beginning today, residents can pick up free 9-volt batteries at all Minneapolis fire stations so they can put new, fresh batteries in their home smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. The batteries are courtesy of Energizer as part of the company’s “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” program. Daylight-saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 a.m.
In addition to providing free batteries at Minneapolis fire stations, the Minneapolis Fire Department and Energizer will canvass a neighborhood around the University of Minnesota Tuesday, Oct. 30 to distribute more batteries, provide fire safety tips and remind residents the importance of changing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. (Media are welcome to attend. Meet at Fire Station 19, 200 Ontario St. SE at 3 p.m.).
According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than one-third (38 percent) of all home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms, while one-quarter (24 percent) resulted from fires in homes in which smoke alarms were present but did not operate.
Simple Home Fire Safety Tips:
- When you change your clocks, change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors monthly to make sure they are working.
- Have at least one working smoke alarm on each level of your home. Minnesota law requires every home to have at least one smoke alarm per level. In new construction, a smoke alarm must be installed in each sleeping room and in a point centrally located in the corridor. These alarms must be interconnected.
- Plan, discuss and practice an escape route with your family for dangerous situations such as home fires, carbon monoxide leaks and natural disasters.
- Do not to ignore the chirping sound your smoke alarm makes when maintenance is required.
- Carbon monoxide detectors are NOT substitutes for smoke alarms.
Published Oct. 26, 2012