Observe daylight saving by checking smoke alarm batteries

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Monday, November 8, 2010:

Alaska fire officials are urging the state’s residents to observe a Daylight Saving Time tradition and check the batteries in their smoke alarms.

Alarms with 9-volt batteries should be changed annually, although lithium batteries may last longer. Fire officials have tied the time change, which is set for Sunday, to a reminder to check whether smoke alarms are working.

According to the Alaska State Fire Marshal’s office, 71 percent of fatal fires in the past two years had no working smoke alarms in the structure.

Alaskans may also sign up for a monthly e-mail reminder to check smoke alarms at www.akburny.com and click on “smoke alarm reminder.”