Daylight Saving Time starts Sunday and as Iowans move their clocks forward an hour on Saturday night, Emily Holley, with the Iowa Chapter of the American Red Cross, suggests you do a quick safety check of your smoke alarms, too.
Last year, Red Cross volunteers helped more than 1,800 people in Iowa who were affected by 584 home fires. Nationwide, home fires account for most of the 65,000 disasters to which the Red Cross responds. Holley says every second counts when there’s a fire, so making sure those smoke alarms are working is key.
She says you should have at least two ways to get out of every room, and select a spot at a safe distance away from your home, like a tree or mailbox, where everyone can meet. For more information, download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores. Find out more online at www.redcross.org/homefires.
