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State Fire Marshal Chief Bryan J Adams is encouraging Louisianans to check the status of the life-saving devices in their homes, like smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, when changing their clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, March 10, at 2 a.m.

“The practice of changing your smoke and CO alarm batteries when you change your clocks should be second nature to all of us,” said Adams, “These days, as many clocks spring forward automatically, it’s especially important for this reminder to reach every household in Louisiana. Take a moment right now to put ‘change your clocks, change your batteries’ on your to-do list for this weekend.”

When checking the status of these devices to determine whether a new battery is needed, also take note of their age. If you know, or suspect, that your smoke or CO alarms are older than 10 years, we highly recommend upgrading to the 10-year, sealed battery alarms that don’t require any battery replacement through their lifetime. These newer alarms will, however, require something we suggest anyway—pressing the “test” button once a month to ensure the devices are in working order. Your family should practice a home escape plan at the same time which should include knowing two ways out of every room in your home and having an outdoor meeting place.

“We say it all the time, but it is a fact that smoke alarms save lives,” said Adams, “In 2023, 60 Louisianans lost their lives in residential fires. Only two of those cases involved structures with working smoke alarms at the time of the fires. Two other homes had evidence of smoke alarms, but they were not in working condition at the time of the fire. This is why changing your batteries when you change your clocks is so critical.”

If you do not have a smoke alarm, and cannot afford one, our Operation Save-A-Life program can help. The program partners our agency with local fire departments to install smoke alarms for free for families that need them most. To learn more about the program and register for a smoke alarm, visit lasfm.org. You can also contact your local fire department to request a smoke alarm installation.