Berkshire County — 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 five, seven, 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 If your alarm is out of date, or if there’s no date at all, it’s time to replace it.”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 (excluding motor vehicles crashes contributing to fires), 80 percent took place in dwellings, and more than half of these took place between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Overall, DFS code compliance officers could only confirm that smoke alarms were present and operated at about 35 percent 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.”
Older adults at greatest risk
More than half of last year’s residential fire deaths involved adults aged 65 and older. State Fire Marshal Davine and Chief Kelleher ask residents to check in on older relatives, friends, and neighbors who may need help installing, testing, or replacing their alarms. Seniors can also contact their local fire department, council on aging, or senior center for assistance: Department of Fire Services’ (DFS’s) Senior SAFE grant program awarded nearly half a million dollars to fire departments across Massachusetts last year to support assistance with alarm installation and testing.
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 are 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.
“Massachusetts firefighters report detecting carbon monoxide at about 5,000 calls each year,” said Chief Kelleher. “We can’t see, smell, or taste this silent, invisible killer. Working CO alarms are the only way to detect it. Please be sure you have them in place at home. If you hear them sounding, get out to fresh air right away and call 9-1-1 for help.”
