Sarasota County Emergency Management officials
are reminding residents that on Sunday, Nov. 1, daylight saving
time will require clocks to be adjusted back one hour. Residents
are also encouraged to use the opportunity to replace the
batteries in smoke alarms and weather radios.
Approximately 70 percent of home fire deaths result from fires
in the home with no smoke alarms, or no working smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms can save lives, but only when they are working
properly. A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm will
give an early warning signal to your household providing the
chance to escape. According to Sarasota County Fire Marshal Jane
Ross, following these steps could save lives:
- Install smoke alarms on every level of
your home.
- For extra safety install smoke alarms
both inside and outside any sleeping areas, especially if
you sleep with your bedroom door closed.
- Keep smoke alarms clean.
- Dust can interfere with how your
smoke alarm works.
- Regularly vacuum over your smoke
alarm.
- The “chirping” noise you may hear could
mean your battery is low. Replace the battery right away.
- Replace your smoke alarms about every ten
years.
- They do wear out, so write the
purchase date with a marker on the back of your smoke
alarm to help you remember when to replace it.
Weather radios are equally as important as
smoke alarms in saving lives. Tornadoes, hurricanes, severe
thunderstorms, and other emergencies can strike in a moment’s
notice requiring quick action to protect both people and
property. NOAA weather alert radios operate 24 hours a day
offering the best protection against hazardous weather events.
“One only needs to look at the daily news to know it is
important to be prepared to react when severe weather
threatens,” said Ed McCrane, Sarasota County Emergency
Management chief.
Local weather reports and warnings are broadcast directly to
these radio receivers around the clock by the National Weather
Service (NWS). Weather Radios advise people of severe weather
watches and warnings, giving them extra time to react before
dangerous storms hit the area. When in the path of something
like a tornado, minutes and seconds can mean the difference
between life and death.
Look for weather radios that have the SAME (Specific Area
Message Encoding) feature, which allows the user to customize
the radio to activate on alerts specific to their area. Other
than a weekly test, the radio will only alert when the
programmed counties are concerned. Residents who cannot afford a
smoke alarm may be eligible for assistance through the Sarasota
County Fire Prevention Office.
For more information, contact Sarasota County Call Center at
941-861-5000 and ask about smoke alarms and NOAA weather radios. |
