Daylight Saving Time is this Sunday, and the Red Cross is using it as an opportunity to remind people to check their smoke alarms and make sure they work properly.
Having a working smoke alarm in your house can reduce the chances of death in a house fire by 50 percent.
On average, you only have two minutes to escape from a burning home, so the Red Cross urges you to have an evacuation plan as well.
It's also recommended to test your smoke alarm to make sure it works.
Bridget Posson, the Executive Director of the Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross, recommends, "Testing them: if you have a battery-operated or hardwired smoke detector in your home, make sure that they're working. If they're not working, the Red Cross offers a free smoke alarm installation program."
If you would like the Red Cross to install a new smoke alarm at your home, they can be reached at (775) 954-1185.
Leave your name and phone number and tell them you are interested in the free smoke alarm program, and they will call you back.
Posson says, "As long as folks are calling and asking for the program, we will keep scheduling those installments out."
She also listed some things to look out for: "Making sure you have one in every room, especially the bedrooms, and that they are in working order. Take them out, test them, put them back, and make sure they're in working order."
The Red Cross is also looking for more volunteers, and you can sign up by clicking the link here.
