The upcoming cold weather and holiday celebrations are likely to mean more fires from overextended heating appliances and cooking, and local fire departments are pushing to make sure area residents have working smoke alarms.
Departments around the Washington area are urging residents to check their alarms when they change their clocks as daylight saving time ends this weekend. Area firefighters are canvassing neighborhoods to check and distribute fire alarms.
Prince George’s County firefighters are going door to door in selected neighborhoods and asking to test residents’ alarms, said Mark Brady, fire and emergency services spokesman.
The department is planning more outreach efforts Wednesday, when it receives a donation of more than 2,000 smoke alarms from Pepco.
Pepco also donated more than 2,000 alarms to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.
Montgomery County firefighters go door to door each week and offer to install new batteries or alarms in homes that need them, Assistant Chief Scott Graham said.
Like others in the area, his department has ramped up its smoke alarm campaign as the weather gets colder, he said.
And in D.C., firefighters were available last weekend to check alarms in Columbia Heights, near the site of a major apartment fire in September that killed two people.
“It’s a busy time of year,” D.C. fire spokesman Pete Piringer said. He said heating systems that haven’t been operating for months and holiday celebrations, which often involve cooking and candles, all contribute to more fires during the winter.
Fairfax County firefighters are also visiting selected neighborhoods this weekend to examine alarms and help families develop escape plans.
Fire officials are advising people test their smoke alarms this weekend. Batteries should be changed at least once a year.
Authorities also suggest cleaning smoke alarms regularly and replacing alarms that are more than 10 years old.
“Fire alarms save lives,” Brady said. “It’s important to have that early warning that a fire is occurring.”
