Sponsored by: St. Clair County Community College

As we set clocks ahead one hour for daylight saving, what should also be a habit is changing the batteries in your smoke alarms. State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer, states, “In as little as three minutes, a home can be totally engulfed in flames especially with fire igniting the plastics and foam products in home furnishings. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 71 percent of smoke alarm failures are a result of missing, disconnected, or dead batteries. The state fire marshal along with the NFPA recommends, Test smoke alarms monthly using the test button. Install a smoke alarm in every bedroom or sleeping area and have one smoke alarm on every level of your home, including the basement. Every ten years replace all your smoke alarms, or sooner if they do not respond properly when tested. For more information on safety tips visit nfpa.org.