We fall back to standard time from daylight saving time next Sunday (October 29th) which is the twice-a-year reminder for Iowans to change their smoke detector batteries. Fire prevention specialist Jeff Hatcher says most fatal fires happen during the nighttime hours.
Hatcher encourages families to practice exit drills in their homes, calling them EDITH for Exit Drill In The Home, so they can be prepared for the real thing. He says smoke detectors are inexpensive but they can prove to be priceless in helping give you early warning about a potentially-deadly situation. He says if someone is sleeping in a corner of the house, even temporarily on a couch, if there’s no smoke detector, they could be at risk.
Hatcher says “We simply don’t wake up if there’s a fire. Our senses go to sleep with us. You’d think you’d smell that smoke but you don’t.” He says smoke detectors should be on every level of the home, plus one detector in every sleeping area. He says the kitchen is the number-one place in the home where fires start. A typical problem is a pan fire, which is best attacked by putting a lid on it. If it’s too big, he says to just get out and call 911.