TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety (DFS) has issued a reminder to residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms as daylight saving time comes to an end this Sunday, March 10. This annual time change is highlighted as an opportune moment to ensure these critical safety devices are functioning correctly.
Acting Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, Jacquelyn A. Suárez, emphasized the importance of operational smoke and CO alarms in safeguarding families against the dangers of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. She encouraged residents to use the time change as a prompt to verify the readiness of their alarms.
Director and State Fire Marshal Richard Mikutsky outlined specific recommendations for the placement and maintenance of smoke and CO alarms. These include installing alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Mikutsky also stressed the significance of replacing smoke alarms every 10 years or immediately if they start to chirp, signaling a low battery.
Mikutsky further advised on the importance of developing and practicing a fire escape plan, detailing steps such as identifying two exits from every room, establishing an outside meeting place, and conducting fire drills twice a year.
The Division of Fire Safety serves as the state’s central fire service agency, focusing on fire code enforcement, public education on risk reduction, fire department preparedness, and firefighter training. The reminder also ties into the Department of Community Affairs’ broader mission, which encompasses a variety of programs aimed at ensuring public safety, community development, and disaster recovery among others.
For more information about the Department of Community Affairs and its initiatives, residents are encouraged to visit the official website or follow the Department on social media.