Prairie State Wire

Springfield, Ill. - The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is urging residents to test, inspect, and replace any broken or expired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes as they adjust their clocks for Daylight Saving Time this weekend. The time change will occur at 2 AM on Sunday, March 10.

Illinois law now mandates that all homes built before 1988 or those without hardwired smoke detectors must install ten-year sealed battery smoke alarms. This requirement came into effect on January 1, 2023.

"In 2023, 68% of pre-existing smoke alarms in homes that received new 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms from our 'Be Alarmed!' Program were non-functional or were expired. With escape times down to three minutes or less, that early warning from a smoke alarm is key to saving lives," stated Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera.

The OSFM emphasizes the importance of using the bi-annual clock change as a reminder to check all smoke and CO alarms at home. If an alarm is found not working or expired, it should be replaced immediately with a new ten-year sealed battery alarm. Additionally, families are encouraged to review and practice their fire escape plans.

Data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows that between 2014-2018, nearly three out of every five home fire deaths in the U.S. occurred in homes without functioning smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 55%. In cases where smoke alarms were present but failed to operate, over two-fifths had missing or disconnected batteries; dead batteries accounted for 25% of these failures.

The "Be Alarmed!" program has made significant strides since its inception in 2018. In 2023 alone, more than 2,000 Illinois homes and approximately 4,600 residents benefited from new smoke alarms and fire safety education through this initiative. To date, the program has seen participation from over 280 active fire departments across more than 61 counties in Illinois, installing a total of 24,548 ten-year sealed battery alarms and reaching over 17,165 people with crucial fire safety information.

"Be Alarmed!" is jointly administered by Camp I Am Me and the OSFM with the goal of fostering fire-safe communities across Illinois.

For further details about the "Be Alarmed!" program: https://www.ifsa.org/prevention-resources/smoke-alarm/