Saturday night when you think about the time change and you spring ahead remember to take time to test your smoke alarm and check its manufacture date. Replace dead or old batteries or upgrade to a ten year lithium battery and never worry about a battery again. If it is more than ten years old it is time to purchase a new one anyway. It’s also important to have enough smoke alarms in your home. According to NFPA fire research has demonstrated that with today’s modern furnishings, fires can spread much more rapidly than in the past when more natural materials were used. Because of this, having a sufficient number of properly located smoke alarms is essential to maximize the amount of available escape time. For many years NFPA has required as a minimum that smoke alarms be installed inside every sleep room (even for existing homes) in addition to requiring them outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Homes built to earlier standards often don’t meet these minimum requirements. Homeowners should recognize that detection needs have changed over the years and take proactive steps and make sure that every home has a sufficient complement of smoke alarms.