Daylight savings time Sunday; Kirkland fire encourages residents to test smoke alarms

The longstanding public safety message “Change Your Clock; Change Your Battery” is being spread in communities throughout the United States as the end of daylight savings time occurs on Sunday, Nov. 4.

November 2, 2012 8:08 pm
The longstanding public safety message “Change Your Clock; Change Your Battery” is being spread in communities throughout the United States as the end of daylight savings time occurs on Sunday
The longstanding public safety message “Change Your Clock; Change Your Battery” is being spread in communities throughout the United States as the end of daylight savings time occurs on Sunday

The longstanding public safety message “Change Your Clock; Change Your Battery” is being spread in communities throughout the United States as the end of daylight savings time occurs on Sunday, Nov. 4.

The Kirkland Fire Department seeks to extend the message of changing the batteries of smoke detectors to testing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Many models have longer lasting batteries that may not need to be replaced each year.  Testing detectors typically involves pressing the test button on the device. The International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends that smoke alarms in homes should be replaced every 10 years and having both ionization and photo electric smoke alarms are best to alert people to all types of home fires.

Effective Jan. 1, 2013, existing homes, apartments, condominiums, and other multi-family units in Washington State must be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms no later than Jan. 1, 2013. For more information on the new requirements, go to www.kirklandwa.gov/fire.