The Omaha Professional Fire Fighters Association reminds you to replace the batteries in your smoke alarm when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time this Sunday.
Captain Trevor Towey of the Omaha Fire Department, says they recommend changing batteries on smoke alarms twice a year.
He says people often forget to do this because it’s not something they deal with in daily life, so it’s sometimes overlooked.
Towey says without a smoke detector, your chances of surviving a fire become slim to none.
And he says studies have shown that over 60% of all fatalities from a fire come from homes without a working smoke detector.
"You can just call the fire department. You request a smoke detector and they will schedule one of the crews in your area to come and install one free of charge. We would much rather help you prevent a fire than to have to come to your home and fight a fire. We just encourage everybody. If you don’t have the means to get a smoke detector, make sure you call and have someone bring one out to you.”
Towey says it’s best to have a smoke alarm outside each bedroom and on each level of your home so that you’re protected no matter where you are or where you sleep.
But he says at a minimum, one smoke alarm per floor is a must.
To request a smoke detector, the number is 402-444-5700.