The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is reminding residents to test, inspect and replace any broken or expired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms when they turn their clocks back this weekend as daylight saving time ends.

In 2025, there were 136 residential fire deaths in Illinois, with a majority of those deaths occurring in homes without smoke alarms, the agency said.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half, or 60 percent. The agency said the majority of civilian home fire deaths continue to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working alarms. Nearly two-thirds of fatal fire injuries in homes with smoke alarms occurred in properties with battery-only powered alarms, while hardwired smoke alarms operated in 94 percent of fires large enough to trigger an alarm. Missing or non-functional power sources — including missing or disconnected batteries, dead batteries and disconnected hardwired alarms — were the most common factors when alarms failed to operate.

"As we prepare to turn our clocks back, it's a great reminder to make fire safety a priority at home," said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. "Take time to test your smoke alarms, check their expiration dates, and replace any alarms that are expired or not working properly. Working smoke alarms provide an early warning that can make all the difference in an emergency. While you're at it, review your family's fire escape plan and make sure everyone knows two ways out of every room and where to meet outside. A few simple steps today can help protect the people you love."

The agency said smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. If an alarm was manufactured before October 2016, officials said it is time to replace it, preferably with a new alarm that has a 10-year sealed battery.

Be Alarmed! Program

The Fire Marshal's office, in partnership with Camp I AM Me by the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and local fire departments, offers the Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm Installation Program, which provides free smoke alarms and fire safety education to eligible residents. Since the program began in 2018, data shows that more than 70 percent of the smoke alarms found in participating homes were not functioning, the agency said.

Officials noted that modern home furnishings and construction materials can allow fires to spread rapidly, leaving families with less than three minutes to escape in many cases.

Home fire escape tips

  • Gather everyone in the household and make a home escape plan, walking through the home to find two ways out of every room.
  • Make sure escape routes are clear of debris and that doors and windows open easily. Windows with security bars or grills should have an emergency release device.
  • Plan an outside meeting place that is permanent, such as a tree, light pole or mailbox a safe distance in front of the home.
  • If there are infants, older adults, family members with mobility limitations or children who do not wake to the sound of the alarm, assign someone to assist them in an emergency.
  • If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Know two ways out of every room and go to your outside meeting place.
  • Never go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, tell the fire department dispatcher when you call.

Furnace safety

As temperatures drop and residents turn on their furnaces, the Fire Marshal's office reminds everyone to have furnaces inspected and cleaned yearly by a licensed HVAC technician to ensure safe operation throughout the heating season.

More tips on fire escape planning are available at nfpa.org.

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Source: the original release