Special to the Gazette
With daylight saving time beginning on March 9, Massachusetts fire officials are reminding residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms when they change their clocks.
“Working smoke and CO alarms are your family’s first line of defense against an emergency at home,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “As we spring forward this weekend, remember to check your alarms when you change your clocks. Be sure they’re present on every level of your home and within their useful lifespan. And unless you have newer alarms with sealed, long-life batteries, this is a great time to replace the alkaline batteries in all your alarms.”
“Smoke and CO alarms are like any other appliance – they don’t last forever,” said Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. “An alarm’s manufacturing date is printed on the back of the device. Smoke alarms need to be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms need to be replaced after 5, 7, or 10 years, depending on the make and model. If your alarm is out of date, or if there’s no date at all, it’s time to replace it.”
Most Fire Deaths Take Place at Home Overnight
Of the 50 fire deaths in Massachusetts last year,[1] 80% took place in dwellings – and more than half of these took place between 8:00 pm and 7:00 am. Overall, DFS code compliance officers could only confirm that smoke alarms were present and operated at about 35% of the fatal fire scenes they inspected.
“Here in Massachusetts, most fire deaths take place at home and they’re most common during the overnight hours when we’re sleeping,” State Fire Marshal Davine said. “Tragically, we see this fact pattern play out again and again, especially with seniors in homes without working smoke alarms.”
Replacing an out-of-date alarm?
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code requires replacement battery-operated smoke alarms in older one- and two-family homes to have sealed, long-life batteries and a hush feature. These alarms are easier to maintain and less likely to be disabled while cooking or by someone using the batteries for other household appliances.
“Disabling a smoke alarm puts you and everyone in your building at risk,” said Chief Kelleher. “Never remove the batteries from a smoke alarm until it’s time to replace the batteries or the alarm itself.”
Fire officials recommend that you choose alarms from a well-known, national brand. Look for the mark of an independent testing laboratory such as UL or Intertek. Many Massachusetts fire departments have found alarms purchased through Amazon and other online retailers that do not meet the Fire Code – and may not perform when they’re needed most.
“If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is,” said State Fire Marshal Davine.
Carbon Monoxide Hazards
Heating equipment is the leading source of carbon monoxide at home, Chief Kelleher said, and CO remains a hazard even in warmer weather. While many carbon monoxide incidents involve furnaces and other heating appliances, CO is also produced by stoves, grills, and vehicles, as well as generators put into use during a power outage.