As people turn their clocks back this weekend for the end of daylight saving time, it’s also a great time to test your smoke alarms.

“Home fires are our community’s most frequent disaster, and we ask everyone to ‘turn and test’ this weekend to help protect your family,” said Chad Carter, Regional Communications Director, Red Cross Cascades Region.

“This year, Red Cross volunteers have responded to more than 210 home fires in our region to help people recover. You can help stay safe by testing your smoke alarms and practicing your escape plan with everyone in your household.”

TURN AND TEST FOR FIRE SAFETY The threat of home fires — which are most often caused by cooking and heating equipment — increases with the holidays and cold weather. As daylight saving time ends, please follow the steps below to prepare your household. For more information, visit redcross.org/homefires or download the free Red Cross Emergency App (search “American Red Cross” in app stores).

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Place them inside and outside bedrooms, and sleeping areas.
• Test smoke alarms and replace batteries if needed. Test smoke alarms monthly, and change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it. It’s also a great time to check carbon monoxide alarms.
• Practice your home fire escape plan. Include at least two ways to get out of every room. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet. Practice your plan until everyone can escape in two minutes or less.

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVES LIVES For five years, the Red Cross has been working with partners to install free smoke alarms in high-risk communities and help families create escape plans through its national Home Fire Campaign — which so far has saved at least 642 lives across the country including nine in the Cascades Region.

In the Cascades Region the Red Cross and local partners have:

• Installed more than 31,907 free smoke alarms.
• Created more than 9,276 escape plans with families
• Served more than 25,363 people through home visits

You can learn more by visiting soundthealarm.org/cascades.