Fire Prevention Week Focuses on Smoke Alarms

The theme for Fire Prevention Week 2024, recognized Oct. 6-12, is “Smoke alarms: make them work for you.”

The Las Cruces Fire Department encourages residents and apartment dwellers to check their smoke alarms, and ensure they are properly working.

To check the operation of a smoke alarm, simply press and hold the alarm’s “test” button. If it beeps, or rings loudly, it is working properly. Smoke alarms should not be tested by lighting a candle or matches under the detector. Repeated use of heat or smoke to activate the device can cause them to malfunction when an actual fire occurs.

Working smoke alarms should be on every level of a residence, including the basement and attic. There should be a working smoke alarm in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area.

The Las Cruces Fire Department recommends replacing batteries and testing smoke alarms at least twice a year.

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. Most people tend to adjust their clocks before going to bed the night before, so the fire department recommends this as an opportune time to replace batteries and test smoke alarms.