Batteries Plus to give away batteries

Batteries Plus of Sebring at 1949 US 27 N. in Sebring will give away 9-volt batteries to the first 600 customers and educate consumers about smoke alarm safety as a part of National Fire Prevention Week, being held this year from Oct. 4-10.

The store will give away one free 9-volt battery per household to the first 600 throughout the week.

"Since the 1970s, when smoke alarms first became widely available to households in the United States, the home fire death rate has been cut in half," said Tony McCowan of the Sebring Batteries Plus, noting that roughly 70 percent of today's fire deaths occur in homes without a functioning smoke alarm. "We want to help people understand that the presence of a smoke alarm alone can't save lives - it has to have batteries that work."

A smoke alarm with functioning batteries can alert people to fire and give them time to escape in a situation where minutes can mean the difference between life and death, McCowan said. Experts recommend changing smoke alarm batteries when changing clocks - the end of daylight savings time on Nov. 1 - and again in spring, and checking them at least once a month to ensure they are functioning.

"Checking your smoke detector is imperative and can save your life and the lives of your loved ones, but knowing how to get out of your home is just as important." said McCowan, assistant manager of the Sebring Batteries Plus location, noting that more than 90 percent of adults have not practiced a fire drill in their homes in the last six months.