FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nationwide, the Change Your Clocks, Check Your Batteries campaign encourages the public to check their smoke alarm batteries when turning your clocks back in the fall and ahead in the spring. That time of year is coming soon. Clocks will “fall back” one hour beginning Sunday, Nov. 5.
Because working smoke alarms are a critical element of home safety, the Springfield Fire Department utilizes every effort to reinforce the importance of working smoke alarms. Traditional smoke alarms with other battery types, such as a 9V battery need a new battery at least once a year. If that alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away. Many of the smoke alarms available on the market today have a non-replaceable 10-year batteries, which are the type installed by the Springfield Fire Department. If your 10-year smoke alarm chirps, this is a warning that the battery is low, and the entire smoke alarm needs to be replaced.
The Springfield Fire Department as part of their community Project RED (Reduce Educate Deliver) program will replace batteries in your existing smoke alarms or install smoke alarms in your home free of charge.
Did you know that the average life span of a working smoke alarm is only 10 years? If your smoke alarms are older than 10 years, call the Springfield Fire Department at 417-874-2300 to have new smoke alarms installed in your home.
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