Photo: KBJR-TV

By Bo Fogal of KBJR-TV - November 5, 2021

Along with that extra hour of sleep, Daylight Saving Time brings an extra reminder to make sure your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms are working.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 11 people across the state died from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2019.

In Wisconsin, the number is slightly higher, averaging to about 20 deaths per year.

With heaters and furnaces not used during the summer months, firefighters say malfunctions can occur often going unnoticed.

The Superior Fire Department's Battalion Chief Camron Vollbrecht says carbon monoxide calls increase during the winter months.

"This is the time of year where we run into a lot of carbon monoxide calls." said Vollbrecht. "As people start firing up their furnaces that haven't been used since last spring, maybe somthing happened over the summer where there not functioning correctly and they set off carbon monoxide detectors."

Smoke detectors typically last 10 years while carbon monoxide detectors only last 5 - 7 years.

It's always a good reminder to replace their batteries often.

Lastly, make sure a detector is on every floor and in every sleeping area.

To see a video version of this story and read related reporting, follow this link to the KBJR-TV website. https://kbjr6.com/2021/11/05/reminder-to-check-smoke-alarms-carbon-monoxide-detectors-heading-into-t...