CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (AP) -- Daylight-saving time starts this weekend and the Cedar Rapids Fire Department says residents can use the clock change as a reminder to also change the batteries in their smoke alarms.
The fire department says a working smoke alarm can decrease the risk of fire death by nearly 50 percent. They say that last year working smoke alarms were confirmed in just 28 percent of residential Cedar Rapids fires.
The department says it plans to partner with the American Red Cross for a "Battery Up" event Friday and Saturday. The program is for senior citizens and others who need help installing and maintaining smoke alarms.
Fire officials recommend residents install dual sensor smoke alarms.
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