Editor’s Note: The City of New Ulm presents a weekly column highlighting activities in different departments in the city government. Once a month the city will answer questions from readers. Questions on New Ulm city issues can be sent to comments@ci.new-ulm.mn.us.

A home fire can strike at any time. For that reason, community awareness and education about the life-saving benefits of smoke detectors/alarms is a priority for the New Ulm Fire Department.

Early detection of a fire in your home could mean the difference between life and death. Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires where there were no smoke alarms (38 percent), or no working smoke alarms (21 percent). The first affordable home smoke detectors were invented in 1965, and over the last 50 years, have saved thousands of lives.

To save lives, smoke detectors must be in working order. Dead batteries are the cause of 24 percent of smoke alarm failures. Batteries should be replaced every six months. March 12 is the start of Daylight Savings, a helpful reminder to change batteries. Lithium batteries are also an option for some detectors and will last much longer.

Photoelectric smoke alarms are recommended because they tend to detect the smaller, smoldering fires more quickly. Testing your smoke detector is important; however just because it beeps it doesn’t mean the sensor is still in working order. Sensors can become dusty and less sensitive over time, failing to go off in the event of a fire. Fire Code states smoke detectors should be replaced every ten years. The manufacture date is located on the alarm. If there is no date, replace it.

Not sure where to install smoke detectors? Install them in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. For best protection, and now required in new homes, install interconnected smoke alarms. When one sounds, they all sound.

Test the alarm when children are present so they are familiar with the sound. New statistics have shown that children respond to voice alerts better than beeping alarms. Ensure your family knows what to do if the alarm goes off, including your escape plan.

The New Ulm Fire Department, along with several fire departments in Brown County, will be partnering with the American Red Cross to sponsor a county-wide Home Fire Campaign on April 22. The national goal of the campaign is to have a 25 percent reduction in home fire deaths in five years. Details are still being finalized, but similar campaigns involve home-to-home installation of smoke alarms, completion of fire safety checklists, creating escape plans, youth education, marketing and public relations. The campaign has proven to save lives.

Since October 2014, at least 92 lives have been saved as a result of residents being alerted to a fire by a Home Fire Campaign-installed smoke alarms.

Remember, March 12 is Daylight Savings; time to test and change the batteries in your smoke detectors because working smoke alarms do save lives.