Safety Message
For 22 years, the South Walton Fire District (SWFD) has participated in the International Association of Fire Chiefs' campaign "Change your Clock -Change your Battery", reminding citizens to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they change their clocks on Sunday, November 1, 2020.
SWFD is so committed to this belief that the Fire District will install and replace batteries in smoke detectors for South Walton residents who are senior citizens, disabled, or families in need, at no charge. Remember, the life of a smoke detector is 10 years. If your detector is 10 years old or older, it should be replaced.
Some alarming facts:
- Smoke alarms provide an early warning of a fire, giving people additional escape time.
- The risk of dying in a house fire is cut in half for those in homes with working smoke alarms.
- No smoke alarms were present in two out of every five (40%) home fire deaths.
- More than 90% of homes in the U.S. have smoke detectors, but 1/3 of those are estimated to have dead or missing batteries.
- In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, more than two of every five (43%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries.
- Remember - please set your clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 2:00 a.m.!
For more information about smoke detectors, fire safety and developing a home escape plan, contact Fire Marshal Sanchez at the South Walton Fire District, 911 N. CR 393 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 at 850-267-1298.