Test Smoke Alarms When You Turn Clocks Ahead: Metro NY Red Cross

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday at 2 a.m. so what you're going to do is turn those hand-set clocks ahead one hour. But wait, there's more!

It’s also a good time for Hudson Valley residents to test the batteries in our smoke alarms as we turn our clocks ahead an hour.

“When you turn your clocks ahead this weekend, it’s a great time to also test your smoke alarms,” said Mary Young, CEO, American Red Cross Metro New York North. “Take a few minutes to replace your smoke alarm batteries and push the test button to make sure the alarms are working.”

The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, launched in October 2014, is a multi-year nationwide initiative to reduce deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25 percent.

SEE: Red Cross Installs 100s of Smoke Alarms at River Edge in Hastings-on-Hudson

As of January 31, 2017, the Red Cross and its partners have helped to save at least 159 lives and installed more than 702,000 smoke alarms in 9,100 cities and towns nationwide.

“Home fires can be a deadly threat because they happen so quickly,” said Young. “Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half."

It’s also a good time for everyone to take these steps to make sure their household is prepared for emergencies. The Red Cross offers these tips:

• Install smoke alarms. If someone doesn’t have smoke alarms, they should install them. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Check local building codes for additional requirements.
• Practice an escape plan. Make sure everyone in the household knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes.
• Get a kit. Keep disaster supplies in an easy-to-carry bag to use at home or carry in case ordered to evacuate.
• Make a plan. Have all household members plan what steps they should take if an emergency occurs.
• Be informed. Learn what emergencies can occur in the area and how officials notify residents should a disaster occur.

Additional information on home fire safety, how to get involved and the Home Fire Campaign is available at redcross.org/homefires.