Westmont, Illinois – Date Issued: October 18, 2023
The Westmont Fire Department reminds residents that when you change your clocks for daylight savings time on Sunday, November 5, it’s also time to check your smoke alarms.
NEW SMOKE DETECTOR LAW REQUIRES NON-REMOVABLE 10-YEAR BATTERIES
This past year, a new state law regarding smoke detectors went into effect. The law requires any newly purchased smoke alarm to have a non-removable, 10-year sealed battery. These new smoke alarms and sealed batteries will last for 10 years, or the lifetime of the smoke alarm, thus eliminating the need to change batteries. Homes built after 1988 that already have hardwired smoke alarms and those with wireless interconnected alarms that use radio frequency or Wi-Fi are exempt from the requirement.
Illinois law requires every household to have smoke alarms within 15 feet of every bedroom and at least one alarm on each floor of the home.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that in 2021 nearly three out of every five home fire deaths occurred in homes with no alarms or alarms that failed to go off. The death rate in home structure fires was 55% lower in homes with working alarms. There were also 97 residential fire deaths in Illinois in 2021, and nearly 70% of those deaths occurred in homes without a working smoke alarm.
HOME SAFETY CHECK
While checking your smoke alarms, citizens may want to take a moment to conduct a home safety check. Following are some additional safety measures to consider:
- Replace batteries in Carbon Monoxide detectors
- Dispose expired medications
- Vacuum out dryer vents and ducts
- Check and replenish home emergency kits
The Westmont Fire Department offers free smoke detectors for Wesmont residents of single family homes or townhomes who need them. For more information, please contact Denisa Hoxha at dhoxha@westmont.il.gov or 630-981-6424.
###
