DETROIT FIREFIGHTERS TO INSTALL NEW SMOKE ALARM BATTERIES NOV. 2 AS PART OF CHANGE YOUR CLOCK, CHANGE YOUR BATTERY PROGRAM

Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 4. As the daylight savings time clock change approaches, the Detroit Fire Department reminds residents to make another change that could save their lives � changing the batteries in their smoke alarms. The Detroit Fire Department has joined forces with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, AAA of Michigan, and Energizer to participate in the annual �Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery� campaign. The program urges all Americans to adopt a simple life safety habit: change smoke alarm batteries when they change their clocks back from daylight savings time each fall.

On Friday, Nov. 2 at 9:15 a.m., Detroit firefighters will knock on doors of residents living in the blocks of 14200 - 14400 Park Grove, and 14200 � 14400 Glenwood streets (between Peoria & Chalmers) on the City�s northeast side to install new 9-volt batteries in existing smoke alarm units.

Detroit residents may also visit their local firehouse from Friday, November 2, until Monday, November 5, from 11 a.m. � 6:30 p.m. to exchange their old smoke alarm batteries for new ones, and obtain fire safety literature.

As part of the �Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery� program, the Detroit Fire Department will distribute 8,000 free nine-volt batteries and fire safety literature in exchange for old smoke alarm batteries. A maximum of two batteries per household will be distributed. To assist the Detroit Fire Department in promoting the �Change� program, Energizer donated the nine-volt batteries and AAA of Michigan provided the fire safety literature.

Although smoke alarms are currently in the majority of American homes, non-working smoke alarms are common, and they are robbing residents of the protective benefits these devices were designed to provide.
�The most commonly cited cause of non-working smoke alarms is worn or missing batteries,� said Chief Katrina M. Butler of the Community Relations Division.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2006, 3,245 civilians lost their lives as the result of fire. The absence of working smoke alarms contributed to many of the residential deaths.

�Changing smoke alarm batteries once a year is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce these tragic deaths and injuries," Chief Butler said. "In fact, a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly half.�