By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-868376.mp3
Albany, NY – As the leaves fall, it's time to fall back an hour on the clock Saturday night/Sunday morning as daylight-saving time comes to an end for 2009. While you're turning back the hands of time, it's a good idea to change the clock's battery, as well as install fresh batteries in your smoke and co2 detectors. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Turning back our clocks allows us to gain an extra hour of daylight in the morning, making our drive to work and school a lot brighter. Changing the batteries in our smoke alarms and c02 detectors act as "first lines of defense" giving us an extra margin of personal safety.
Fire officials warn that the peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are sleeping,Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs says that while 96 percent of American homes do have smoke alarms, the sad truth is that 19 percent of these do not work due to worn out or missing batteries. According to The National Fire Protection Association, house fires claim a life in the United States every three hours. And 540 children under 14 perish in house fires every year. Don't be a stastic! Remember: Fall back, and change batteries!