Change batteries and fall back

THE Country Fire Authority is urging people to change their smoke alarm batteries on Sunday at the same time as they change their clocks as daylight saving comes to an end.
All Victorians are reminded to put their clocks back an hour on Sunday, 2 April for the end of daylight saving which has lasted a week longer than usual because of the Commonwealth Games.
Dandenong Ranges CFA group officer Mark Lane said a working smoke alarm is the only way to ensure your home is protected.
Mr Lane said more than 60 people die as a result of 11,000 house fires in Australia each year and that children and the elderly account for the majority of victims.
He said smoke was the major killer as it makes it very difficult to see and breathe.
“Unlike wood fire, house smoke is very toxic as today’s homes are filled with plastics and chemicals,” Mr Lane said.
Mr Lane said smoke alarms are a vital early warning signal because usually when people are asleep their sense of smell is largely diminished and are unlikely to smell smoke.
“The smoke will also put occupants into a deeper sleep, so the loud warning pitch of a smoke alarm is there to wake household occupants in the event of smoke and fire,” he said.
Mr Lane said according to research two-thirds or 67 per cent of Victorian householders surveyed replace the batteries in their smoke alarms routinely.
“We would like to see every household routinely change smoke alarm batteries at this time of the year,” he said.