PENNSYLVANIA (WHTM) — The Red Cross is reminding community members to turn their clocks forward and check their smoke alarms.

According to the Red Cross, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 50%. That is why it is important to check your smoke alarms monthly.

The Red Cross also mentioned that it is important to make sure you have smoke alarms on every single floor of your home.

You should also be sure to replace your smoke alarm after 10 years because the sensors can become less sensitive as time goes on.

These are all crucial steps in helping to prevent house fires. The Red Cross says that most of the disasters they respond to are home fires.

“They are so dangerous that they claim more lives in a typical year than all of the natural disasters combined, so that’s why it’s so important that we’re doing our part to let individuals and folks know how important it is to make sure you have that working smoke alarm in your house,” explained the Executive Director of the Red Cross Central PA Chapter, Laura Burke.

The Red Cross also works with local fire departments and other community partners to install free smoke alarms in people’s homes.

Since 2014 they have installed over 2.5 million smoke alarms nationwide.