Working smoke alarms can help you and your family safely escape a home fire. When you change your clocks Sunday, November 7, make sure to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, having working smoke alarms reduces the risk of dying in a fire by 50%. On average, three out of every five fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms, or no working smoke alarms. Additionally, dead batteries are the cause of 25% of smoke alarm failures.

There should be one smoke alarm in every bedroom, along with an alarm outside each sleeping area, on each story of the home. A carbon monoxide alarm should be installed on each floor, outside of each separate sleeping area.

When you are changing the batteries on your smoke alarms Sunday, it's also the perfect time to check the alarm's expiration date. The Office of the State Fire Marshal requires all smoke alarms to have either the manufactured date or the expiration date printed on the device. Smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years, and most carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced every five years. For more information, call the City of Folsom Fire Department at 916-461-6300 or visit www.folsom.ca.us/fire.