Campaign urges people to change smoke alarm batteries every fall
By:Jeff Mikalaitis
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP – Fire District No. 2 wants to remind residents to get into the habit of changing the batteries in their smoke alarms at least once a year, a simple step that could save lives in the event of a fire.
To help spread the word, Fire District No. 2 has teamed up with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and Energizer brand batteries for the 13th year of the "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery" campaign.
The campaign urges people to change batteries in their smoke alarms every fall, when changing clocks back to standard time.
Fire District No. 2 also is encouraging people to use the hour that is saved by the time change to test their smoke alarms and to plan escape routes with their families.
To inform the public, the fire district will be putting on a fire prevention show, and visiting local schools.
"We’ll really be quite busy," said fire Lt. Joseph Herzberg.
The fire prevention show will be held on Oct. 20 in Northern Community Park from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
"All the fire companies will be joining in," said Lt. Herzberg. "It will be a real community night out."
Derby Volunteer Fire Company, and Mission Fire Company, both from Bordentown Township, and Consolidated Fire Association and Hope Hose Humane Co. No. 1 from Bordentown City also will participate in the fire prevention show. Township and city first aid squads also will be involved.
The fire companies will be passing out literature on various fire prevention topics, including residential and office fire safety.
They will offer smoke alarms and batteries at no cost for families who are unable to purchase them.
During the second week in October, fire departments will visit local schools to inform children about fire safety.
Students will receive informational packages containing fire prevention tips, and be able to examine a fire engine.
Lt. Herzberg said changing smoke alarm batteries at least once a year is one of the most effective ways to reduce deaths and injuries.
Working smoke alarms nearly cut the risk of dying in a house fire in half, he said.
Smoke alarms provide an early warning and critical extra seconds needed to escape a fire.
Houses should have a smoke detector on every level, said Lt. Herzberg. The top and bottom of the stairs, as well as outside bedroom doors are ideal places, he said.
However, he said what is truly important is that houses have a working smoke detector.
"There’s really no bad place to put a smoke detector," he said.
Senior citizens, children, and those who live in low-income housing are most at risk when a fire occurs, said Lt. Herzberg. He cited these other statistics:
* Approximately 1,000 children under the age of 15 die in house fires each year.
* Fire is the third leading cause of accidental death among children under age 5.
* People over the age of 75 are three times more likely to die in a home fire than the rest of the population. Those over 85 are 4.5 times more likely to die.
* An average of three children a day die in a residential fire, with 82 percent of those deaths occurring in houses without working smoke alarms.
Many low income families are unable to afford batteries for smoke alarms. These same households often rely on poorly installed heating equipment, a main cause of fatal fires, said Lt. Herzberg.
Lt. Herzberg said it is standard practice for the fire companies in Fire District No. 2 to check smoke detectors in house while responding to a call, whether it be an alarm activation, a medical emergency, or a fire.
He said in his 13 years of experience, 90 percent of the houses he has been in did not have working smoke alarms.
For information about fire safety or if assistance is needed in checking or installing a smoke alarm, call 298-8527 or your local fire department.