Time to Spring Forward Safely

ZANESVILLE, OH – Not only is it almost time to change your clocks, it’s also time to check your smoke detectors.

Brock Williams, a Firefighter with the Zanesville Fire Department said you should be checking your smoke detectors every 6 months.

“We like to remind everyone to change the batteries in their smoke detector. It’s a great time to be doing that but with that said, some smoke detectors have sealed batteries,” Williams said. “So the encased batteries are unable to be changed. But regardless of which type you have, it’s still a good idea to get it down and check the expiration date. They expire every 10 years or so.”

Williams said this is also the perfect time to conduct your monthly fire alarm test. He also said the best place for a smoke detector is near a heat source, like in the kitchen or near a fireplace. He said some other good spots are the living room, the upstairs of the home, and in the bedroom.

March 1st marked the beginning of the State wide burn ban that will last until May. Williams talked about what you should know about the burn ban.

“It’s this month, April, and May as well then it’ll restart again in October and November,” Williams said. “So, there’s no burning from 6 AM to 6PM. That’s just due to weather, a lot of dry timber and things like that will make it easier for the burn to keep growing when you add in factors like wind.”

If you are in need of a smoke detector, you can reach out to the Zanesville Fire Department for one.