Check Smoke Alarms to Ensure Proper Home Protection, As Daylight Saving Time Begins on Sunday, March 12, 2023

Daylight Saving Time 2023 will begin at 2:00 a.m. (EST) on Sunday, March 12, 2023, and end on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. As we set our clocks ahead and “spring forward,” the West Palm Beach Fire Department recommends testing your smoke alarms.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. When smoke alarms should have worked but failed to operate, it is usually because batteries were missing, disconnected, or dead.

The WPB Fire Department offers these tips:

- Test alarms monthly by using the test alarm button.
- For alarms with removable batteries, check the batteries every six months, and change the batteries each year.
- Vacuum out any dust that might have accumulated in the alarm.
- Install at least one alarm on every floor of the home, and in or near each sleeping area.
- Never paint over a smoke or CO alarm. Do not install them near windows, because a draft could interfere with their operation.

WPB Fire Department works to reduce the level of risk to life, property, and the environment that the community faces through fire suppression, emergency response, emergency medical transportation, fire inspection, public education, and community outreach.

With 286 employees, WPB Fire Department responds annually to over 30,000 calls for service. The agency operates out of nine stations that cover over a 58-square-mile area. In the event of a fire emergency, dial 9-1-1. For information about WPB Fire Department, click here!