Change your clocks and check your smoke alarms this weekend

It's Sunday and now you know which clocks are not connected to the internet. 

In my house there are battery powered clocks in several rooms, a travel clock, and a couple of alarm clocks. 

In the kitchen, the microwave, coffee pot, and stove all require personal attention. 

Then there's the car...

So let's talk about smoke alarms now. Or rather let's hear from the State Fire Marshal’s Office:

"According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), working smoke alarms save lives by cutting the risk of dying in a home fire by half.

• Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom, in hallways outside bedrooms, and on every floor of the home, including basements.
• Smoke alarms with non-replaceable batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. Replace the smoke alarm if the manufacture date is more than 10 years old.
• For smoke alarms that have replaceable batteries, change the batteries out with new ones.
• Press the test button to ensure your smoke alarm is working properly. Also make sure everyone in the home knows the sound a smoke alarm makes and how to respond if it goes off.
• Rental housing must also have working smoke alarms. 
• Contact your landlord or property manager if your rental home does not have smoke alarms installed. 
• Maintenance and testing of smoke alarms is the responsibility of the tenant.

"For more information, contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office at 360-596-3929."

If you don't replace the battery, the smoke alarm will give you notice by beeping - a slow, steady beep beep beep. It doesn't stop until you change the battery or it dies, whichever comes first. 

This all usually happens in the middle of the night when you can't find the instruction pamphlet and you don't have batteries of the right size and you are mostly asleep anyway.

If that doesn't sound like fun, you'll probably want to change your batteries this afternoon.

--DKH