(NAPSA)—A homefire affeets the life of an American family every 85 seconds. That’s why the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Energizer and more than 5,400 fire departments across the country urge families to “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery.” Your participation is easy: when you change your clock on October 26, change the battery in your smokedetector. Although smoke alarms are present in 94 percent of American homes, 20 percent do not work due to worn or missing batteries— that means nearly 19 million homesare at needlessrisk. By adopting the habit of changing batteries and making sure their smokealarm is working, experts at the IAFC believe that homeowners can significantly improve their chancesof surviving fire. This year, use the extra hour to make fire safety a priority by following these few simple steps: * Plan, discuss and practice a fire escape route with your family. This is critical, since it’s estimated that only 25 percent of U.S. families have such a plan in place. * Keep matches, lighters and other fire-starting materials away from children. * Place space heaters and other portable heaters three feet away from anything that can burn. Make sure they are turned off when leaving the room or going to sleep. Something as simple as checking the batteries in a smoke alarm when you change your clocks for daylight saving time can do a lot to make a home safer. * Make sure the smoke alarm in your house is working. This last step is significant since approximately 80 percent of fire fatalities in the U.S. result from fires in homes without working smoke alarms. By providing an early warning—andcritical extra seconds to escape—smoke alarms can cut in half a family’s risk of dying in a fire. In the mid-’80s, the IAFC and Energizer recognized a disturbing trend—home fire deaths and injuries were increasing despite widespread use of smoke alarms. Research showed non-working smoke alarms were often responsible. It was then that the two organizations decided to join forces to spread the news about proper smoke alarm maintenance. Together they founded the “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” program in 1987. Now in its 16th year, the “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” program has donated nearly 2 million 9-volt batteries to reach children, senior citizens and families in communities nationwide. According to Chief Ernie Mitchell, president of the IAFC, the peak time for homefire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most families are sleeping. Said Mitchell, “Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce homefire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.” The IAFC is a non-profit professional organization representing more than 12,000 chief fire officers and emergency services leaders worldwide. Energizer Holding Inc., is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of primary batteries and flashlights.
