Before you went to sleep Saturday night, you probably moved your clock forward one hour. Did you also take the time to change the batteries in your smoke alarm? If you have a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm, did you change those batteries also?

During the 2013 session of the Maryland General Assembly, the thirty-eight year old Maryland Smoke Alarm Law was completely rewritten and updated to take advantage of new technology. With the full support of the Maryland Fire Service, Senate Bill 969 and House Bill 1413 passed unanimously in both chambers and were signed into law by then-Governor O'Malley. The Maryland Smoke Alarm Law is now compatible with applicable national codes including, "NFPA 72 – National Fire Alarms and Signaling Code" and the "International Residential Code" for new construction. More importantly, the law requires over the course of the next few years an upgrade in smoke alarm coverage in existing homes.

Under provisions of the new law, a single 9-volt battery operated smoke alarm in the second floor hallway is no longer adequate in some existing older homes. The Maryland Smoke Alarm Law requires a minimum of one smoke alarm on every level of the home. Where battery operated smoke alarms are acceptable, sealed battery operated smoke alarms with long-life batteries and hush button features are now required.

WORKING SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES!