Change your clock, change your batteries

SAGLE — Fire officials are reminding residents to change the batteries in their smoke alarms when they roll back their clocks to adjust for the end of daylight-saving time.

Daylight-saving time officially ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.

“In the last 20 years, we’ve tried to use daylight-savings time transitions to remind folks,” said Sagle Fire District Chief Rob Goodyear.

Chang-ing smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries in autumn is particularly important because of increased reliance on heaters, stoves and other heating appliances.

Manufacturers also recommend replacing smoke alarm units every 10 years.

A survey conducted by the National Fire Protection Association found that from 2003-2006, no smoke alarms were present or operable in two out of five (41 percent) home fires.

Goodyear suspects tragedy could have been averted in 2006, when a family of three were killed in a structure fire on Fish Creek Road in Cocolalla. Jayson Darwin Mitchell, Brandy Dawn Post and 5-month-old Benjamin Westley Mitchell died of smoke inhalation in the fire, the origin of which appeared to be electrical in nature.

“It’s that kind of situation where it would have definitely would have made a difference,” said Goodyear. “There weren’t any working detectors in the residence if there were any at all.”

Heating safety tips

n Only use portable heaters with the Underwriters Laboratory logo

n Don’t use heaters with frayed cords or ones which don’t switch off if tipped over

n Keep stationary furnaces free of dust and dirty filters

n It’s illegal to use kerosene heaters inside a home

n Make sure your fireplace has a screen to block flying embers and that your chimney is clean

n Do not burn gift wrappings or other debris in your fireplace as it releases toxic fumes and could damage your fireplace

n Put fireplaces ashes only in a metal container with a lid

—SOURCE: Sandpoint Fire Department/Sagle Fire District