RALEIGH -- In 2005, North Carolina firefighters reported that no smoke alarms were present in nearly one-third of home fires they responded to. Those homes that did have smoke alarms were often left unprotected because of missing or dead batteries.

Every year an average of 200 North Carolinians die in home fires, and while not all tragedies can be prevented, families can protect themselves by making sure their early warning system is in good working order. To help North Carolinians remember the importance of checking their smoke alarms, Insurance Commissioner Jim Long wants citizens to use daylight saving time as a reminder to change their smoke alarm batteries when they change their clocks on March 11.

"Failed smoke alarms were reported in nearly 400 home fires in 2005, which amounted to $4.5 million in losses for those families," said Commissioner Long who also serves as state fire marshal. "Smoke alarms are designed to notify you of a fire early, so you have time to get out to safety and get help as quickly as possible. The faster the fire department responds, the better chance you have of saving your property. What's so upsetting about these numbers is that the extent of damage could have been reduced through routine smoke alarm testing and changing the battery regularly."

Commissioner Long and the Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal encourage North Carolinians to make smoke alarm maintenance a part of their yearly routines. Smoke alarms are the single most important fire protection device homes can have, but nonworking smoke alarms are useless in an emergency situation. Installing smoke alarms - but not properly maintaining them - gives homeowners a false sense of security that could prove deadly.

Follow these tips to make your home safer in the event of an emergency:

• Test smoke alarm batteries once a month, and replace the batteries with new ones at least twice a year.
• One smoke alarm is not enough! Every home should be equipped with alarms on every level - including the basement - and outside each sleeping area.
• Encourage children to help test the smoke alarm and familiarize them with the sound it makes.
• Buy only smoke alarms that bear the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Replace them at least every 10 years.
• Smoke alarms need to be cleaned. Remove cobwebs and dust with a vacuum cleaner attachment. If you are going to be doing work nearby that could send dust or paint into the air, cover the alarm with a temporary shield made of cardboard or plastic.
• Make sure you have a home escape plan, and more importantly, that you and your children know what to do if they hear the smoke alarm. Practicing this will help prevent panic and confusion should your alarm ever sound.