MARYSVILLE — With the time change approaching Nov. 1, the Marysville Fire District wants to remind area residents to check the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

According to Marysville Fire District Public Education Specialist and Public Information Officer Kristen Thorstenson, an average of three children per day die in home fires and 80 percent of those occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The most commonly cited cause of non-working smoke alarms was worn or missing batteries.

Thorstenson advised area residents to change their smoke alarm batteries at least once a year. If your smoke alarm has a 10-year lithium battery, it might not need to be replaced, but it still needs to be checked. Thorstenson noted that working smoke alarms nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends replacing your smoke alarms every 10 years.

“The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., when most families are sleeping,” Marysville Fire Chief Greg Corn said. “Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.”

“Many low-income families are unable to afford batteries for their smoke alarms,” Thorstenson said. “These same households often rely on poorly installed, maintained or misused portable or area heating equipment, which is a major cause of fatal home fires. Many local fire departments have smoke alarms and batteries available.”

Corn recommended that area residents also create and practice home fire escape plans. For more information, call the Marysville Fire District at 360-363-8507 or log onto marysvillefiredistrict.org.