As Mississippians prepare to change their clocks this weekend with daylight saving time coming to an end and winter trying to set in, officials are reminding people that the time change is a chance to ensure smoke alarms inside homes and businesses are working properly.
Reed Abraham, the state fire coordinator, said Mississippi is battling a troubling trend when it comes to fire deaths, in part, caused by inoperable smoke alarms or an absence of smoke alarms.
“So far in 2025, we’re looking at about 59 fire fatalities,” Abraham said. “We talk about technology and what we know, here’s one thing we still have to do better on: In half of those fatalities, there was no working smoke alarm.”
Winter months, specifically December and January being a peak, bring an even higher rate of house and business fires on average. Reasons include an increased use of furnaces, space heaters, and fireplaces. Holiday cooking also plays a part in that number, according to fire officials.
Abraham and company at the Fire Services Division of the Mississippi Insurance Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are asking residents when they change their clocks ahead of the return to Standard Time Sunday at 2 a.m. to also make sure their smoke alarms are up to standards.
“The State Fire Marshal’s Office, a division of the Mississippi Insurance Department, recommends checking smoke alarms in your home this weekend,” the MID stated in a press release. “Falling back to Standard Time early Sunday morning remains a good reminder to change batteries and replace alarms as needed.”
Also, the MID offers residents the following fire-safety tips:
- Test smoke alarms using the test button.
- Replace alarms if they do not respond properly, or haven’t been replaced in 10 years.
- Install alarms on walls or ceilings in every sleeping area, hallway, and on every level of the home.
- Consider purchasing a carbon monoxide alarm and place it low to the ground.
- Make sure everyone inside the home recognizes the alarm sound and how to respond.
For those who do not have a smoke alarm and may be worried about the price, the MID has a program in which it will supply and install smoke alarms free of charge through local fire departments. All you have to do is call your local fire department and ask.
