CFR: Test Your Smoke Alarms When You Fall Back This Weekend

Cheyenne Fire Rescue is reminding people to test their smoke alarms when setting their clocks back this weekend.

Chief John Kopper says roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

"When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries were missing, disconnected, or dead,” said Kopper.

Get our free mobile app

CFR provides the following guidelines for smoke alarms:

• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or older
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button
• Replace the smoke alarm immediately if it doesn’t respond properly when tested
• Make sure everyone in the building knows and reacts to the sound of the smoke alarm
• Have a meeting place and a plan once the alarm sounds
• Smoke alarms with nonreplaceable (long-life) batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps, a warning the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm immediately
• For smoke alarms with any other type of battery, a chirping alarm needs to be tested and checked. It could simply indicate a failing battery