Before you start dreaming of that extra hour of sleep you will receive this weekend, you may want to think about doing some serious inspections of your home detection systems.
The sound of a properly working smoke detector could save your life as we head into this winter season.
Community Relations Officer David Glanz, of the North Shore fire department knows from experience that changing the batteries in your smoke alarm every time you change your clocks can prevent most fires.
"On average there are 360,000 home fires a year," said Glanz.
Older smoke detectors require battery changes every year but newer detectors last for 10 years.
"Your more commonly purchase would be the kind the kind with what they call a sealed lithium battery. It's a sealed unit you don't have access to the battery," said Glanz.
The newer detectors also contain new features like a "hush button" that will deactivate the alarm for 10 minutes to allow smoke to clear in scenarios involving heavy smoke but no fire.
In addition to changing the batteries in your smoke detector, Glanz also recommends getting a carbon monoxide detector due to the fact that you can not smell or taste carbon monoxide.
Following these simple tips along with practicing your fire escape plan with your family will help you to stay safe as we head into the winter season.
