Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, and the Palmetto SC Region of the American Red Cross urges everyone to test their smoke alarms when turning back their clocks.
As the fall season ushers in cold weather, it also increases the risk of deadly home fires. That’s because heating equipment is the second most common cause of fatalities from home fires—which, on average, take seven lives every day in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. But working smoke alarms can double a person’s odds of survival.
“The Red Cross wants everyone to stay safe this winter,” said Louise Welch Williams, regional chief executive officer, Palmetto SC Region. “This weekend, please take time to ‘turn and test’ to protect you and your family against the season’s life-threatening risk of home fires.”