Published on March 6, 2026 11:10 am
Last Updated on March 6, 2026 11:12 am
The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) reminds Illinoisans to test, inspect, and replace broken or expired smoke/CO alarms in their homes with new 10-year sealed battery alarms while they change the clocks this weekend as Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 AM Sunday, March 8.
“Working smoke alarms save lives—the key word is working. As you change your clocks this weekend, take a few minutes to test all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home, check their expiration dates, and replace any that are broken or more than 10 years old,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. “A functioning smoke alarm gives you and your family the early warning needed to escape safely in the event of a fire. While you’re at it, take some time to review and practice your family’s fire escape plan.”
The time change serves as a bi-annual reminder to test all smoke and CO alarms in your home. If you find an alarm that is not working or is expired, replace the alarm immediately with a new 10-year sealed battery alarm. Review your fire-escape plan with your family and hold a drill to practice your plan.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that nearly three out of five (59%) home fire deaths in the United States occur in homes with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that failed to operate. More than two out of five (43%) of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms present. Homes with working smoke alarms experience a death rate about 60% lower than homes with no alarms or no working alarms.
According to statistics from the Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm Installation Program, in 2025, 68% of pre-existing smoke alarms in homes receiving new 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms from the Be Alarmed! Program were non-functional or were expired (5007 of 7,376) pre-existing smoke alarms).
“Ensuring your smoke alarms are properly working as well as less than 10-years old can help prevent a tragedy from occurring in the home. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting burn survivors, we’ve seen firsthand how devastating residential fires can be, too often when a smoke alarm wasn’t working or present. That simple check can save lives,” said Philip Zaleski, Executive Director of Camp I Am Me by Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.
Thanks to the “Be Alarmed!” program, in 2025, over 3200 Illinois homes and 7,800 residents are now protected by new smoke alarms and were educated about the importance of having a fire safety plan. Nearly 50,000 smoke alarms worth nearly $1.5 million dollars of life saving fire safety devices have been distributed to Illinois fire departments since 2018 when the Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm Installation Program began!
“Be Alarmed!” is a fire safety education and smoke alarm installation program administered cooperatively between Camp I Am Me and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM). “The “Be Alarmed!” program is aimed at creating fire-safe communities.
For more information on the “Be Alarmed!” program visit: https://www.ifsa.org/
