Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery

November 1, 2024 | From New Orleans Fire Department

Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery

For decades "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery" has been the theme echoed throughout the Fire Service reminding everyone to replace their smoke alarm batteries when we "Fall Back" to Standard Time each fall. Residents with hard-wired alarm systems with 9-volt batteries as a backup should replace the 9-volt battery. Long-life, sealed lithium battery smoke alarms are now the industry standard. If you have a hard-wired alarm with a sealed lithium backup battery or a standalone alarm with a long-life, sealed lithium battery, when you change your clocks to "Fall Back" on Sunday, November 3rd you should test your home's smoke alarms.

Everyone should check the expiration date on the back of their smoke alarms to make sure they haven't expired and incorporate checking your smoke alarms into a monthly home fire safety practice.

If your home is protected by the old stand-alone 9-volt operated smoke alarms, please let the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) replace these antiquated alarms with new 10yr lithium battery smoke alarms, FREE OF CHARGE. And if you have 10yr lithium smoke alarms already, check the expiration date on the back of the alarm to make sure they haven't expired.

Recently the NOFD has partnered with the New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) to supply and install Combination Carbon Monoxide/Smoke Alarms (Combo-Alarms), also FREE OF CHARGE, to New Orleans residents. If you or anyone you know needs this potentially lifesaving service, please contact the NOFD at 504-658-4714 or you can make your request online at the City's website - Services - Public Safety - Fire Safety - Get Free Smoke Alarms - City of New Orleans.