The Philadelphia Fire Department will participate in a campaign on smoke alarm maintenance as part of this year's "Change Your Clock - Change Your Battery" promotion. As Philadelphians turn their clocks back to standard time on Sunday, October 28, 2001, Fire Commissioner Harold B. Hairston wishes to remind all citizens that it's time to "Change Your Clock - Change Your Battery."

"Change Your Clock - Change Your Battery" is a national home fire safety campaign sponsored by the Philadelphia Fire Department, the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Energizer batteries. The program urges all Americans to adopt a lifesaving habit: changing smoke alarm batteries when they change clocks back from daylight saving time each fall. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape.

The Philadelphia Fire Department urges all residents to check and change their smoke alarm batteries and take these other fire safety precautions - practice good housekeeping, keep matches and lighters away from children and plan and practice a home escape plan.

On Sunday, October 28 between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM selected firefighting units will go door-to-door on a residential block in their local district with fresh 9-volt batteries offering to change smoke alarm batteries for residents.

Commissioner Hairston said, "When a fire occurs, seconds count. Working smoke alarms can provide the early warning needed for a family to escape a fire safely. To do the job effectively, a battery-operated smoke alarm needs to be checked monthly and the battery changed yearly. Changing your smoke alarm's batteries when turning back your clocks provides an easy reminder to ensure that these life saving devices will work when needed."

For more information about fire safety and developing a home escape plan, contact the Philadelphia Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division, 240 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19123 at 686-1382 or visit your nearest fire station.