The conversation about the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® program  is sponsored through the Motherhood; all opinions are my own.

 Change Your Clock Change Your Battery Program

You’ve probably heard the slogan, “Change Your Clock Change Your Battery®,” but do you know the statistics behind this simple phrase? They’re sobering. You’d think something as important  would get more of our attention, but in reality, it doesn’t. So why should you take a few minutes out of your weekend to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors? It’s simple, they could save your life and the lives of those you love.

 US Home Fire Statistics

  • Did you know that home fires kill more than 2,500 people each year in the US alone.* That’s an average of seven people every day. * Millions more are injured.
  • Most people have detectors. In fact, the installation of smoke detectors in homes has soared, from just 10% in 1975 to 95 percent in 2000.* But they don’t work if they have dead batteries, are broken or defective, or are too old to work. In fact, homes with non-working smoke alarms now outnumber households with without smoke alarms.*
  • Three out of five deaths from home fires occur in homes without a working smoke alarm – 71% of the smoke alarms that failed had missing, disconnected or dead batteries*.
  • The reality of fatalities is that only 20% of reported home fires occur between 11pm and 7am, but overnight fires caused 50% of all home fire deaths. Additionally, 36% of the victims never woke up before succumbing.
  • In a study by Energizer, 70% of participants believed they would have enough time to evacuate their home in case of a fire and 30% said that they or their family member could detect a fire. In reality, home fires don’t give you must time to escape and they aren’t easy to detect – especially when they’re in the crawlspace, attic, garage, or closed off room.

*Source: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery

That’s why instead of guessing whether or not your family is safe, Energizer® in partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) wants you to Change Your Clock Change Your Battery®. Twice a year when we change the clocks, put fresh batteries in all your safety devices and when you re-install them, do a test on each to be sure each is functioning properly. But don’t toss those old batteries, use them in your other non-life saving electronics and when they’re spent, check out the Energizer Battery Recycling Program.

How To Change Your Clock Change Your Battery  -

If I seem passionate about the cause, it’s because I am.  Over the last 35 years, I’ve lived with a fire fighter so I know all too well how real these statistics are. In fact, in the district where my husband serves, I would bet they’re even higher. It’s common to go to minor fire calls and find a non-working smoke alarm. The excuses for why batteries have been removed can sometime be comical, though they’re not when you think about the alternative. Sometimes the caller hasn’t checked the alarm in years and other times they didn’t even check to see if one was in the house before moving in. I can’t tell you how many times the caller has said the batteries were removed just the day before.

Energizer Supports The Community

Fire safety is for everyone and Energizer wants to make sure it is. They’ve donated a quarter of a million batteries this fall to US fire departments, including my husbands, so that they can get them into the hands of families in need. They also host Fire Safety Awareness events during October’s National Fire Prevention Month which culminates with the end of daylight saving time on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014. But you can get Fire Safety information all year long.

Free Fires Safety Activities Fire Safety Event Schedule Free Fire Safety Tips video-kid

Fire Safety Planning & Activities

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® is a great time to create or update a family safety plan that includes a fire plan. It reminds kids what to do if the alarms go off and gives them a chance to practice their safety skills. As children grow, it’s a good time to  add new information or responsibilities – are they staying home alone now? They should know how to turn off the gas or open the garage door in case of power outage.  Free resources are available as well as activities for younger children to help bring home the lesson of safety.

Now it’s up to you to make the time to take care of this lifesaving household task. Add batteries to your shopping list and set aside an hour this weekend to make your home safer for those you love.

Seattle Fire Safety Event – November 1

Energizer is hosting several fire safety events across the country where visitors can get life-saving information and some Energizer items. Plus it’s a chance to say hello to the Energizer Bunny in person! The Seattle event will be held at the Bartell Drugs Store in Seattle (100 N 85th St) between 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. 

Win a Energizer Fire Safety Gift Pack

TWO lucky winners will receive a fire safety gift pack to make sure their family is covered.

Energizer Fire Safety Prize Pack

Each Fire Safety Gift Pack includes:

  • Smoke Detector and 2 pack 9V Energizer® batteries
  • 12-inch Energizer® Bunny and Energizer® foam bunny ears
  • Coloring Book
  • Journal & Pen (create your fire safety plan, or track when alarms are installed and batteries replaced- they have expiration dates – did you know that?)

:giveaways: