Working smoke alarms can cut home fire deaths in half, officials say
ATLANTA — As daylight saving time ends this Sunday, November 2, the American Red Cross is reminding everyone to test their smoke alarms while turning clocks back one hour. The organization emphasizes that working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.
“Every second counts when there’s a home fire,” said Jeremy McLendon, Deputy Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross of Georgia. “You may have as little as two minutes to safely escape, so testing your smoke alarms this weekend could save your life.”
According to the Red Cross, local volunteers responded to nearly 2,500 home fires across Georgia in fiscal year 2025, assisting more than 10,470 people. Nationwide, home fires make up the majority of the 65,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to each year.
The Red Cross recommends that families:
Test smoke alarms and replace batteries if needed.
Install alarms on every level of the home, inside and outside bedrooms.
Replace alarms every 10 years, as sensors lose sensitivity over time.
Practice a home fire escape plan that allows everyone to exit in under two minutes.
Designate two ways out of every room and a safe meeting spot outside.
For families unable to afford or install smoke alarms, the Red Cross may be able to assist. Local chapters can provide free smoke alarms through the organization’s Home Fire Campaign, which has saved at least 2,508 lives nationwide — including 255 in Georgia — since its launch in 2014.
For more information on fire safety, creating an escape plan, or to download the free Red Cross Emergency app, visit redcross.org/fire.
The Red Cross thanked State Farm®, the national sponsor of its Sound the Alarm initiative, for supporting ongoing efforts to promote home fire safety and disaster preparedness.
