Daylight Saving Time ending means testing, inspecting, replacing smoke alarms

(25News Now) - The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is reminding residents to test, inspect and replace any broken or expired smoke and CO alarms as Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend.

Sealed smoke alarms have a 10-year life span before they need to be replaced. The fire marshal’s office says any alarm made before October 2013 needs to be replaced.

“Materials used in modern home construction burn hotter and faster reducing the escape times to less than 3 minutes in most cases,” said state fire marshal James Rivera. “Families need to review their fire escape plans and hold drills to ensure everyone in the house knows at least two ways out of every room and where to meet outside of the home in the event of a fire.”

These tips are offered to help families prepare of update their home fire escape plan:

Get everyone in your household together and make a home escape plan. Walk through your home and look for two ways out of every room.
Make sure escape routes are clear of debris and doors and windows open easily. Windows with security bars or grills should have an emergency release device.
Plan an outside meeting place where everyone will meet once they have escaped. A good meeting place is something permanent, like a tree, light pole, or mailbox a safe distance in front of the home.
If there are infants, older adults, family members with mobility limitations or children who do not wake to the sound of the smoke alarm, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the event of an emergency.
If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Respond quickly – get up and go, remember to know two ways out of every room, get yourself outside quickly, and go to your outside meeting place with your family.
Once you’re out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.