March 9 brought with it the switch to Daylight Savings Time, an event that many New York families use to update their household’s safety plans and equipment. But even if you’ve already changed your clocks, you can still take advantage of this time of the year to run a “safety check” in your own home.
First, check your smoke detectors. The batteries in smoke detectors should be changed twice a year, as should the batteries in carbon monoxide detectors. When you change the batteries, test each device to make sure it works.
Next, check other household safety equipment, like fire extinguishers, weather radios, and flashlights. Change the batteries in flashlights and other battery-operated devices and test them. Check that fire extinguishers are properly charged and that they are located in easy-to-reach places in the kitchen and other key areas.
Third, update your emergency kit by replacing any items that have passed their expiration dates, like food, water, or medical supplies. Your emergency kit should have enough supplies to last for three days for each person in your household. Update emergency plans as well and make sure each member of the family knows what the new plans are.
Finally, mark your calendar for the next “safety check” – at the same time you switch your clocks back to standard time in the fall.
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