As residents spring forward an hour for Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, Cheyenne Firefighters are reminding people to change their smoke alarm batteries.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 3,000 people die in house fires each year. Two-thirds of those fatalities are the result of improper or nonexistent smoke alarms.

"In wake of the tragic fire here recently, we would really like to encourage folks to obviously ensure the smoke alarms are working, ensure that we change the battery this weekend when we change our clocks," said Local 279 Spokesman Derek Pollnow. "And what we would really hope for is that folks test them on a monthly basis."

Pollnow recommends installing a dual-purpose smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside of each bedroom and on every floor of your home.

"That way if somebody is sleeping in a room, not only is there the one going off outside in the event of a house fire, but we have one that's inside the room to get that early notification, to get 911 called and to get the firefighters out there on scene," said Pollnow.

"If money is an issue, we really encourage residents to contact their local department and seek any kind of opportunities and programs that might be in place to provide those smoke alarms," Pollnow added.

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