Turn back the clock by 2 a.m., Nov. 2, check fire, carbon monoxide alarms

  • Published
  • By Ray Bowden
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACAMDEMY, Colo. --  Academy Airmen get the chance to catch up on their sleep this weekend when they set their clocks back an hour by 2 a.m. Nov. 2 and gain an hour of Standard Time.

Every fall, Colorado residents welcome Standard Time when they, and citizens of most every other state, gladly crank their clocks back an hour.

Standard Time starts 2 a.m., Sunday; Daylight Saving Time returns in March.

Daylight Saving Time gives Airmen an extra hour of sunlight during summer months, before the onset of Standard Time, when an extra hour of daylight is moved to the morning.
Along with setting back their clocks, an Academy fire inspector said this is also the perfect time for Academy Airmen and their families to test and change the batteries and filters in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

"This can be lifesaving," said Mike Mater, of the 10th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department. "Approximately every three hours, a home-fire death occurs somewhere in the nation, and 66 percent of those occur in homes without working smoke alarms."

Mater said fire alarms that don't work rob residents of the protective benefits these devices are designed to provide. The most commonly cited cause of nonworking smoke alarms is expired or missing batteries, he said.

"Eighty percent of child fire fatalities occur in homes without working smoke alarms," he said. "It's a tragic statistic that could be reduced by adapting the simple habit of the 'Change Your Clock, Change Your Batteries' program."

Mater recommends residents change the batteries in their smoke alarms at least once a year, test the alarm, and remind others to do the same.
"(This is) the simplest, most effective way to reduce these tragic deaths and injuries," he said.

The peak time for home fire fatalities is 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., when most families are sleeping, Mater said.

"Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home-fire deaths," he said.  "Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely."

Academy Safety Office officials also recommend Academy Airmen and families test and change the batteries and filters in their carbon monoxide alarms.
Call 333-2051 for more information.

Visit the National Fire Protection Association at www.nfpa.org for more fire-safety information.