PIERRE – South Dakota’s fire marshal says there are two things South Dakotans need to do this weekend: reset their clocks and check their smoke alarms.
Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday. That means pushing your clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night.
Before you enjoy that extra hour of sleep, Fire Marshal Paul Merriman suggests it also is a good time to switch batteries in smoke alarms.
“Smoke alarms don’t help if they are not in working order and the batteries in smoke alarms should be changed about twice a year,” says Fire Marshal Merriman. “It is a fact that working smoke alarms save lives. The National Fire Protection Association says nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in properties without working smoke alarms.”
Other safety tips involving smoke alarms include:
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Test alarms at least monthly by pressing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Do it sooner if the alarms don’t respond properly.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is part of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
