Page 18 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 7, 2025 Daylight Saving Time Reminder: When You Change Your Clocks, Check Your Alarms S Working Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Save Lives, Fire Offi cials Say TOW – With daylight saving time beginning on March 9, Massachusetts fire officials are reminding residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms when they change their clocks. “Working smoke and CO alarms are your family’s fi rst line of defense against an emergency at home,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “As we spring forward this weekend, remember to check your alarms when you change your clocks. Be sure they’re present on every level of your home and within their useful lifespan. And unless you have newer alarms with sealed, long-life batteries, this is a great time to replace the alkaline batteries in all your alarms.” “Smoke and CO alarms are like any other appliance – they don’t last forever,” said Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher, president of the Fire ANNOUNCES | FROM PAGE 3 nolly Center: In partnership with Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), Mayor DeMaria and the COA will be hosting the Garden Club at the Connolly Center for the tenth year. Those who enjoy gardening or are interested in gardening should join the Garden Club for the fi rst meeting on Friday, March 28, at 10 a.m. at the Connolly Center. For more information about any of the events, please call 617-394-2270 to be connected to the Connolly Center. Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. “An alarm’s manufacturing date is printed on the back of the device. Smoke alarms need to be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms need to be replaced after 5, 7, or 10 years, depending on the make and model. If your alarm is out of date, or if there’s no date at all, it’s time to replace it.” Most Fire Deaths Take Place at Home Overnight Of the 50 fi re deaths in Massachusetts last year, 80% took place in dwellings – and more than half of these took place between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Overall, DFS code compliance officers could only confirm that smoke alarms were present and operated at about 35% of the fatal fi re scenes they inspected. “Here in Massachusetts, most fi re deaths take place at home and they’re most common during the overnight hours when we’re sleeping,” State Fire Marshal Davine said. “Tragically, we see this fact pattern play out again and again, especially with seniors in homes without working smoke alarms.” Older Adults at Greatest Risk More than half of last year’s residential fire deaths involved adults aged 65 and older. State Fire Marshal Davine and Chief Kelleher asked residents to check in on older relatives, friends, and neighbors who may need help installing, testing, or replacing their alarms. Seniors can also contact their local fi re department, council on aging, or senior center for assistance: Department of Fire Services’ Senior SAFE grant program awarded nearly half a million dollars to fire departments across Massachusetts last year to support assistance with alarm installation and testing. Replacing an out-of-date alarm? The Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code requires replacement battery-operated smoke alarms in older one- and two-family homes to have sealed, longlife batteries and a hush feature. These alarms are easier to maintain and less likely to be disabled while cooking or by someone using the batteries for other household appliances. “Disabling a smoke alarm puts you and everyone in your building at risk,” said Chief Kelleher. “Never remove the batteries from a smoke alarm until it’s time to replace the batteries or the alarm itself.” Fire officials recommend that you choose alarms from a well-known, national brand. Look for the mark of an independent testing laboratory such as UL or Intertek. Many Massachusetts fire departments have found alarms purchased through Amazon and other online retailers that do not meet the Fire Code – and may not perform when they’re needed most. “If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. Carbon Monoxide Hazards Heating equipment is the leading source of carbon monoxide at home, Chief Kelleher said, and CO remains a hazard even in warmer weather. While many carbon monoxide incidents involve furnaces and other heating appliances, CO is also produced by stoves, grills, and vehicles, as well as generators put into use during a power outage. “Massachusetts fi refi ghters report detecting carbon monoxide at about 5,000 calls each year,” said Chief Kelleher. “We can’t see, smell, or taste this silent, invisible killer. Working CO alarms are the only way to detect it. Please be sure you have them in place at home. If you hear them sounding, get out to fresh air right away and call 9-1-1 for help.” Come and enjoy Polymnia Choral Society’s performance of Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass” F or over 70 years, Polymnia Choral Society has been delivering great performances to acknowledge and honor the important times in our lives. On Saturday, March 8, Polymnia will continue this tradition by performing Joseph Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass,” a masterwork that will resonate through the rafters from the opening “Kyrie” to the fi nal “Amen.” Originally titled “Missa in angustiis” (Mass For Troubled Times), this choral work contains music that was written during a time of war. It expresses both the tension that existed during that time and the hope for a brighter future. This Mass is widely acknowledged as Haydn’s greatest work. Alongside this masterpiece of the classical era will be Elaine Hagenberg’s fi rst maYOUR LOCAL NEWS & SPORTS IN SIX LANGUAGES. SUBSCRIBE TO THE ADVOCATE ONLINE BY SCANNING HERE! jor work, Illuminare. This work is already receiving praise for its effectiveness and beauty. This concert will be held at the Melrose Performing Arts Center at Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School (350 Lynn Fells Pkwy.). Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $15 for students and $5 for children. To purchase tickets for this concert, visit https://polymnia. org/about-our-upcoming-season/ or Miter Biter (479 Main St.) or call 617-633-5006. This program is funded in part by a grant from the Melrose Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information about Polymnia: www.polymnia.org/about LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER FACEBOOK.COM/ ADVOCATE.NEWS.MA
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