Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire reminds community to change clocks, smoke detector batteries

Sunday, March 8 marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. It is also a great opportunity to check your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors.

When we change our clocks in the spring and the fall for daylight savings time, we should also be changing the batteries in the detectors in our homes to better protect our families.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, seven people die each day in house fires. Of the deaths that occur each day, three out of five houses had either no smoke detectors or detectors that were inoperable. This is why it is so vitally important to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly and change the batteries twice a year when you change your clocks.

You should also be practicing home fire drills with your children as a part of your home fire education program. Some tips to teach children include: know two ways out; once out, never go back in the house; and have a meeting place outside the house.

Testing the detectors also allows occupants of the home to become familiar with the alert tone of the detector and be able to immediately react to its activation. These fire education tactics can be practiced frequently with members of your household to help prepare for an emergency.

Thanks to a recent donation from Lowe’s and First Alert, should you find that your smoke detectors are inoperable, Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire have these lifesaving detectors available to residents of the district, free of charge. If you would like to schedule a residential home safety inspection or need additional free detectors for your home, please contact Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District’s prevention and education program at 937-981-3394, extension 102.

Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District was created in 2009. It currently has three stations covering some 330 square miles in Highland, Ross and Fayette counties. Paint Creek is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year staffed department.