Spring Home Safety Checklist

Change the Clocks Spring Forward and Fall Back Daylight Saving Time begins every year on the second Sunday in March. Clocks are set forward one hour, except in Hawaii and most of Arizona. Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 11. Smoke Alarms Three out of every 5 home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Check and test your smoke alarms every month and replace the battery at least once a year. If the alarm makes a "chirping" sound, replace it immediately. Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom and in the common areas on each floor of a home. Mount them at least 10 feet from the stove to reduce false alarms, less than 12 inches from the ceiling and away from windows, doors and ducts. Smoke alarms can be interconnected wirelessly. That means, when one sounds, they all sound. A Consumer Product Safety Commission survey found this is the best way to notify everyone in a home if there is a fire. Be sure to purchase smoke alarms with the label of a reputable testing agency, like Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Carbon Monoxide Detectors Anything that burns fuel can potentially become a source of carbon monoxide, an invisible, odorless gas that can kill. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each bedroom and on every level of the home. The safety tips for CO detectors mirror those of smoke alarms: change the batteries, test them and interconnect them, if possible. Also, make sure vents for your gas appliances (fireplace, clothes dryer, cooking stove and heating furnace) are free and clear of snow or debris. Family Emergency Plan & Route The National Safety Council recommends every family have an emergency plan in place in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event. Spring is a great time to review that plan with family members. Every home should have a home and car emergency kit. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says an emergency kit should include 1 gallon of water per day for each person, at least a three-day supply of food, flashlight and batteries, first aid kit, filter mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape, and medicines. Visit the FEMA website for a complete list. The emergency plan also should include: A communications plan to outline how your family members will contact one another and where to meet if it's safe to go outside A shelter-in-place plan if outside air is contaminated; FEMA recommends sealing windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting A getaway plan including various routes and destinations in different directions Also, make sure your first aid kit is updated. Get Rid of Unwanted Medicines NSC advises you take unwanted or expired medicines to a prescription drop box or take- back event near you. Flush any unused medicines down the toilet. NSC offers free Stericycle Seal & Send envelopes, so you can send your unwanted medication to be safely destroyed. Getting the Urge to Clean? With the summer weather comes a desire to shine and polish your home. But when warning labels are ignored or chemicals fall into the wrong hands, disaster can occur. Learn what you can do to keep you family safe around poisons in the home. Window Safety Check for loose windows, and secure them. Keep dark colored curtains up to block the heat out and any prying eyes. With warmer temperatures arriving, it's important to practice window safety - especially in homes with young children. Find more information about window safety.