Politics & Government
'Change Clocks, Change Batteries'
As Daylight Saving Time ends, Cal Fire-Riverside County officials remind San Gorgonio Pass residents to check batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
When residents of Cabazon, Banning and Beaumont gain an extra hour Sunday as Daylight Saving Time ends, Cal Fire officials hope everyone will also check alarm batteries that could save their lives.
"The presence of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the home can mean the difference between life and death," Cal Fire-Riverside County Chief John R. Hawkins said in a statement.
"I urge residents to use the beginning and ending of daylight savings time as a reminder to check your smoke alarms carbon monoxide detectors and replace faulty or broken ones," Hawkins said. "Always replace the batteries in each alarm on every floor of the home and test them to ensure they are in working order."
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According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke alarms cut the risk of fatality in a home fire by one-half. Overall, three-quarters of all U.S. homes have at least one working smoke alarm.
Each year, nearly 3,000 people die in U.S. home fires, according to the NFPA.
Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Editor's Note: Don't Forget to FALL BACK. Daylight savings ends at 2 a.m. Sunday Nov. 6. Set clocks back one hour.
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