TIME CHANGE: TEST your smoke alarms as you TURN your clocks back this weekend

Daylight saving time ends on November 3 and the American Red Cross encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the devices are working.

“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half as you only have about two minutes to safely get out,” said Jorge Martinez, CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania. “Every second counts when there’s a home fire and the sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get to a safer place. When daylight saving time ends this weekend, test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home.”

Over the past year, local Red Cross volunteers responded to help nearly 5,500 people in communities across the commonwealth affected by more than 1,400 home fires. Home fires account for most of the about 65,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually across the country.

SMOKE ALARMS When turning your clocks back this weekend, test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to create and practice with your family, or download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.