Dont forget to change your clock

As area residents prepare to set their clocks ahead one hour this weekend, local and state fire officials would like to remind everyone that it is an important look at a few other life-saving tasks.

Locally, Kennett Fire Marshal Scott Tutor recommends changing batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as preparing disaster supplies.

"Daylight savings time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m., on the second Sunday of March," Tutor said. "Twice a year, when daylight savings time begins or ends, make it a habit to not only change your clocks, but do a few other semi-annual tasks that will improve safety in the home.

"Do these things every six months when you reset your clocks: Check and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms older than five years [and] prepare a disaster supply kit for your house. Once you have created your home disaster kit, use the semi-annual time change to check its contents, including testing and replacing flashlight batteries."

Tutor said items such as water, non-perishable foods, flashlights, batteries, and blankets should be included in the disaster kits.

State Fire Marshal Randy Cole says more than 70 percent of fire related deaths in the U.S. occur in homes without a working smoke alarm.

"The semi-annual time changes are great reminders to change the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors," Cole said. "Across the country, 80 percent of the children who die in home fires are killed in residences without a working smoke alarm. If people take the words 'change your clocks, change your batteries' to heart, we would reduce the number of home fire deaths in the United States."

Cole said each year, more than 2,500 Americans die in residential fires and about 15,000 are injured. He added that the peak hours for home fire deaths are from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., when people tend to be asleep and the home is dark.

According to the National Safety Council, nearly 700 people die each year as a result of unintentional poisoning by gases or vapors in non-fire situations and carbon monoxide is involved in the majority of these deaths.

Cole recommends that Missourians regularly check smoke and CO detectors by pushing the test button, plan two escape routes from their homes and practice those escape routes with the entire family. Only 23 percent of U.S. families have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.