LCFD urges residents to check smoke alarms when turning back clocks

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Daylight saving time ends Sunday, and the Las Cruces Fire Department is encouraging residents to install new batteries in their smoke alarms when setting clocks to ‘fall back’ one hour.

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, and the fire department urges residents to install fresh batteries in their smoke alarms when clocks are adjusted to standard time. Most people tend to adjust their clocks before bedtime Saturday evening.

Most smoke alarms are powered by a single 9-volt battery. Las Cruces and Dona Ana County residents in need of 9-volt batteries for smoke or carbon monoxide detectors can obtain up to nine free batteries per household at most Las Cruces fire stations. The free batteries can be picked up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov. 2, at:

• Fire Station 1, 201 E. Picacho Ave.
• Fire Station 2, 1199 E. Foster Rd.
• Fire Station 3, 390 N. Valley Dr.
• Fire Station 4, 2802 E. Missouri Ave.
• Fire Station 5, 5998 Bataan Memorial East
• Fire Station 6, 2750 Northrise Dr.
• Fire Station 8, 550 N. Sonoma Ranch Blvd.

LCFD also encourages homeowners test smoke alarms to ensure they are in proper working order. To check the operation of a smoke alarm, simply press and hold the alarm’s “test” button. If it beeps, or rings loudly, it’s properly working.

Consumers should avoid testing an alarm by using a candle or matches placed under the detector as repeated use of smoke to activate the device can cause them to fail when an actual fire occurs.

For more information on smoke alarms, call the Las Cruces Fire Department at (575) 528-3473.