Fall Back Tonight in Pensacola — and Change Your Smoke Alarm Batteries, Fire Rescue Says
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday. Escambia Fire Rescue's standing advice for the same night: replace your smoke alarm batteries, test the alarms, and know two ways out — free alarms are available in the county at 850-595-HERO.
Pensacola turns its clocks back one hour tonight, and local fire officials want a second job done before bed. As daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 1, Escambia Fire Rescue urges residents to replace the batteries in their smoke alarms and perform the maintenance that keeps the alarms working, NorthEscambia reported Saturday.
"Most home fire fatalities occur overnight when most families are sleeping," Escambia Fire Rescue said, according to the report. "Changing the batteries in your smoke alarms and performing other maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk and a working smoke alarm can give the extra seconds needed to get out safely."
The department's checklist goes beyond batteries: plan two ways out of the home and practice the escape routes with the whole family, and keep a fire safety kit with working flashlights and fresh batteries. More than 3,000 people lose their lives in residential fires each year, the report noted, the majority of those deaths the result of unattended cooking — which is why someone should always be present when cooking on top of the stove. Alarms should be tested monthly and their batteries changed at least every six months.
Escambia County residents who need an alarm can get one free: for information about obtaining a free home smoke alarm in Escambia County, call 850-595-HERO (4376).
