PEORIA, Ill. – The chief of the Peoria Fire Department says people should change more than their clocks at the end of Daylight Saving Time this weekend.
Shawn Sollberger says people should also change the batteries in their smoke detectors. He says keeping your detector running is the single most important thing someone can do, outside of their own personal fire department.
“It’s the first thing that’s going to detect, to alarm you that you have something significant going on in your home. And I think it’s just one of those things that we take for granted,” Sollberger says.
Sollberger also says people should consider replacing their smoke detectors if they’re between 5-10 years old.
He says newer models have batteries installed in them, and will be the only models sold in the state of Illinois starting next year.
“With new technology, this battery lasts for at least ten years,” Sollberger said. “And so, it’s integrated into the detector, it’s not a stand-alone battery. It’s just part of the system.”
Daylight Saving Time ends early Sunday morning.
