Friday, March 11, 2011
Check Batteries In Smoke Alarms
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to change their smoke alarm batteries when changing their clock for Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, March 13.
CPSC estimates that about 16 million homes in the U.S. have smoke alarms that do not work. In most cases, the batteries are dead or missing.
In a recent year, nearly 2,700 people died and more than 15,000 were injured because of fires that started in their homes. These fires resulted in property losses of more than $3.5 billion.
Children are particularly vulnerable. Each year about 700 children under the age of 15 die of fire-related causes and about 400 of these deaths are to children under the age of 5 years.
Most deaths occur from fires that start at night while families are asleep. Four times as many victims die from inhaling smoke and toxic gases as from burns.
"The Commission works to prevent fires by developing and enforcing safety standards for products. For example, we have federal standards for child-resistant cigarette lighters, for wearing apparel, for children's sleepwear, and for carpets and rugs," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton.
About 90 percent of U.S. households have smoke alarms installed. However, a CPSC survey estimated that 20 percent of those households, about 16 million, did not have any working alarms.
CPSC recommends consumers test each smoke alarm every month to make sure it is working properly. Change batteries at least once a year. Long-life smoke alarms with 10-year batteries have been available to consumers since 1995. These long-life alarms also should be tested monthly.
CPSC recommends consumers place smoke alarms that meet the requirements of a professional testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), on each level of multi-story homes outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms.
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