Vermont's Fire Safety Officials along with the Brattleboro Fire Department Remind Vermonters and Brattleboro residents to Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery.

This weekend, March 13 and 14, we will all be setting our clocks to Daylight Saving Time. The time change is a good reminder to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association more than 66 percent of home fire deaths that occurred between 2003-2006 were in homes without a working smoke alarm. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

Firefighters know the importance of home fire safety. That's why the men and women of the Vermont fire service and the Vermont Division of Fire Safety, encourages you to participate in the annual home fire safety program called: Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery! Sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Energizer brand batteries, the program urges you to adopt a simple lifesaving habit: Change all of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries when you change your clocks.

Change Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries!

Firefighters encourage you to change Alarm batteries at least once each year. An easy way to remember is to change these batteries when you change your clock. Replace old batteries with fresh, high quality batteries to keep your alarms ready to protect you all year-long.

Check Your Alarms!

After inserting fresh batteries in your alarms, make sure the alarm is working by activating the safety test button. Fire safety officials recommend that you test all of your alarms at least once each month.

Clean Your Alarms!

Help your alarms remain sensitive and ready to protect you by gently using a vacuum cleaner once a month to remove dust and cobwebs. If your alarms have been accidentally painted or contaminated, replacement may be necessary.

To best protect your home and family, we also suggest...

Retire your old Smoke Alarms!

Smoke Alarms work every minute of every day. After millions of sensing cycles, they should be retired. Replace your smoke alarms with a photoelectric style alarm if they are 10 years old or older.

Plan and Practice Your Escape!

Children and older adults have an increased risk of dying in a home fire because they often become scared and confused when a fire erupts. Older adults may have a hard time escaping. Make sure everyone in the home recognize the sound of your home's alarms and teach them how to respond instinctively to its signal. Work out a plan if children or older adults require special help. Create at least two different escape routes from every room and practice them with the entire family. Be sure all family members know the lifesaving practice of crawling below the dangerously thick smoke and intense heat of a fire. Designate a meeting place for everyone to gather outside the home in case of a fire or other emergency. Remember, this may be the only practice and discussion you will have before tragedy strikes!

When a fire occurs, don't delay! Get out quick and stay out!! Escape first, closing doors behind you if possible. Quickly gather at your meeting place and then notify the Fire Department by calling 9-1-1 from a safe location. Help your Firefighters by remaining together outside the home and directing them to endangered family or valuables.

For additional safety information contact the Brattleboro Fire Department (802-254-4831) Or Visit the Vermont Division of Fire Safety's web site at www.vtfiresafety.org