LEWISTON – Fire agencies around the country are reminding people that while setting their clocks forward, they should also change the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, 16% of all fire-related deaths are attributed to non-working smoke detectors, 81% of which were the direct result of missing, disconnected, or dead batteries. The CDC estimates that approximately 430 Americans die each year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Whether you are celebrating the additional daylight hours or grumbling about the lost hour of sleep, make sure to check those batteries.