(Moline, IL) — State and local fire safety officials gathered this week at the Moline Fire Department to emphasize the importance of testing smoke alarms with the coming time change.
“Having working smoke alarms in your home is one of the simplest and most important ways to protect yourself and your family from a home fire. When a fire starts, every second matters, and working smoke alarms provide the early warning people need to get out safely,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. “Take a few minutes to test your alarms, make sure they are less than 10 years old, and replace any alarms that are damaged or not working properly. If you need assistance, contact your local fire department. Our goal is zero fire fatalities, and making sure every Illinois home has working smoke alarms is an important step toward achieving that goal.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half, while the majority of civilian home fire deaths continue to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working alarms.
