To the Editor:
An average of three children a day --approximately 1,000 children under the age of 15 -- die each year in house fires. Ninety percent of fire deaths involving children occur in homes without smoke alarms. Sadly, many of these tragic deaths could be avoided with a working smoke alarm.
To help parents, guardians and kids in our community remember, we have joined forces with the Internation Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to encourage kids and their parents to adopt a simple habit that could save their lives -- changing the smoke alarm batteries each fall when turning clocks back to standard time.
Although 92 percent of American homes have smoke alarms, nearly one-third do not work because of worn or missing batteries. With the early warning that a working smoke alarm can provide, residents stand a much greater chance of escaping to safety. In fact, a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of dying in a home fire nearly in half.
So, on October 25 when you turn back your clocks, take an extra minute to install fresh batteries in your smoke alarms, too. Then, push the test button on the smoke alarms to make sure the devices are working.
We recommend that families also plan two escape routes from their home and practice them regularly.
Remember, a smoke alarm is a family's best defense against fire. Keep it in top working condition with an annual battery change. You never know when you'll need it most.
