WEST PALM BEACH, FLA (March 8, 2021) – Daylight Saving Time 2021 will begin at 2:00 AM (EST) on Sunday, March 14 and end on Sunday, November 7, 2021.
As we set our clocks ahead and “spring forward,” the West Palm Beach Fire Department (WPBFD) recommends testing your smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. When smoke alarms should have worked but failed to operate, it is usually because batteries were missing, disconnected or dead.

This week’s theme is “Smoke Alarm Safety.” DYK 3️⃣out of 5️⃣ home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms?! The Risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. #SmokeAlarmsSaveLives #FireSafetyTips #BeSafe pic.twitter.com/ePARnTM9d5

— US Fire Marshals (@NAofSFM) March 7, 2021

WPBFD offers these tips:

Test alarms monthly by using the test alarm button.
For alarms with removable batteries, check the batteries every six months, and change the batteries each year.
Vacuum out any dust that might have accumulated in the alarm.
Install at least one alarm on every floor of the home, and in or near each sleeping area.
Never paint over a smoke or CO alarm. Do not install them near windows, because a draft could interfere with their operation.

West Palm Beach Fire Department works to reduce the level of risk to life, property and the environment that the community faces through Fire Suppression, Emergency Response, Emergency Medical Transportation, Fire Inspection, Public Education, and Community Outreach. With 286 employees, the City of West Palm Beach Fire Department responds to over 27,000 calls for service each year.
The agency operates out of nine stations that cover over a 58 square mile area.