Is your life worth more than a 9-volt battery? This is the question Boulder City Fire Department officials are asking as part of the annual effort to get people to replace their smoke-detector batteries when the time changes. This year, daylight-saving time will end November 3 at 2 a.m.
“The cost and effort involved in changing your batteries is a small price to pay to prevent a fire-related tragedy,” explained Boulder City Interim Fire Chief Steve Walton, “and the time change is a good reminder.”
Walton explained that should a fire start while the power is out, having a smoke detector hard-wired into a home’s electrical service is useless if the battery does not have a sufficient charge left to operate the unit. “Birds chirp, your smoke detector shouldn’t,” he added. “If you wait until it chirps, there is no guarantee the battery will have enough power to operate the smoke detector properly.”
Batteries aren’t the only thing that should be changed. Walton said because smoke detectors lose their effectiveness over time, any older than 10 years should be replaced as well.
Smoke detectors are especially important during the hours when people sleep. “The smell of smoke won’t always wake you,” Walton noted. “The only thing that will reliably wake you in the event of a fire is a smoke detector.”
The Boulder City Fire Department will help area residents who are in need or physically incapable of changing their own batteries. To schedule a battery-replacement appointment, call 293-9228.