FALL BACK: Cocoa Fire Rescue Reminds You To Change Your Clocks, Smoke Alarm Batteries

By  //  October 30, 2015

more than 70 percent of smoke alarms failed to operate had missing, disconnect or dead batteries

As residents change their clocks back one hour, the Cocoa Fire Rescue Department says it is also a good time to change the batteries in residential smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA) more than 70 percent of smoke alarms which failed to operate had missing, disconnect or dead batteries. (Shutterstock image)
As residents change their clocks back one hour, the Cocoa Fire Rescue Department says it is also a good time to change the batteries in residential smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA) more than 70 percent of smoke alarms which failed to operate had missing, disconnect or dead batteries. (Shutterstock image)

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 1 at 2 a.m.

As residents change their clocks back one hour, the Cocoa Fire Rescue Department says it is also a good time to change the batteries in residential smoke alarms.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA) more than 70 percent of smoke alarms which failed to operate had missing, disconnect or dead batteries.

“If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need a working smoke alarm to give you time to escape,” Chief Prince added.

Statistics show that having a working smoke alarm cuts in half the chances of dying in a fire.

Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Gene Prince
Gene Prince

“Working smoke alarms save lives without a doubt,” said Fire Chief Gene Prince. 

“Changing your smoke alarm batteries when you change your clocks each year is a great reminder to make sure they keep working.”

The national estimates of reported fires derived from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the NFPA’s fire department survey show that in 2009-2013, fires in homes with no smoke alarms caused an average of 940 deaths per year (38% percent of home fire deaths).

An additional 510 people per year (21 percent of home fire deaths) were fatally injured in fires in which smoke alarms were present but failed to operate.

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Power source problems were the leading cause of smoke alarm failures.

Cocoa Fire Rescue encourages the public to install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.

For more information contact Cocoa Fire Headquarters at 321-639-7610.