Fire Officials Recommend Smoke Detector Checks This Weekend

As Yakima residents head to bed Saturday night, most will enjoy an extra hour of sleep due to "falling back" for daylight savings time.

The bi-annual changing of the clocks in Washington and most of the country also provides an excellent reminder to check out important safety features of a home says the Yakima Fire Department (YFD). Fire officials are officially reminding all citizens to check their smoke detectors when the clocks change early Sunday morning.

The YFD notes that smoke detectors can save lives if they are properly installed and maintained. They recommend the following checks of smoke detectors:

• Check the age of the smoke detector. Officials recommend replacing detectors that are older than 8-to-10 years.
• Check to make sure the detectors sound off when testing the battery. If a new battery does not make it sound off when testing, replace the detector.
• Make sure there is an adequate number of smoke detectors in the home. The YFD recommends one detector in each room to ensure maximum detection.
• Clean all smoke detectors regularly to make sure no dust or insect debris will inhibit the maximum efficiency of detectors.

More information about smoke detectors and other fire safety tips can be found on the National Fire Protection Association website.