The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Nova]

Really? I know the usual suggestions are to check the batteries when the time changes, but how many of us do that? I didn't. And I had no good reason except that I was lazy.

So I checked them last week while I was on break. Both of them. And guess what? Both batteries were dead. They might have been dead since we moved in because we never checked them. We were dumb. Stupid. And it might have cost us our lives.

Ten minutes after we checked the batteries, we went out and bought replacements and now the alarms are both working.

Normally, this is the sort of thing that wouldn't cross my mind twice except to think casually about how lucky we were that there wasn't a fire while the batteries were dead. I mean, really, we could have died. Dead batteries in smoke alarms are the leading cause of deaths in home fires.

So why is this so much on my mind today? One of my coworker's sons lost his house to a fire on Monday. He lost everything. All his clothes, his worldly possessions, his three-month supply of diabetes medication. And he has to wait until his home owners insurance pays him before he can order new medicine. He was fortunate to escape with his life, and I don't think his smoke detectors worked. He apparently was awoken by the smoke and crawled out of the house on his hands and knees.

I had just cleaned out my house and given everything extra to a local charity, so I didn't have any clothes or housewares I could have given him. Instead, I gave his mom every bit of cash I had left in my wallet. It wasn't a huge amount, but he needs it a hell of a lot more than I do. And tonight, I'm going to kiss my husband, hug the cats and enjoy the comfort and security of my home.

So please, if this is the time of year for resolutions, resolve to check your smoke alarms, check your insurance and come up with a home evacuation plan. That's especially important if you have kids.

[bikipatra]

With my husband cooking his own meals now, we KNOW the batteries are working.

[jlaman79]

Thanks for the reminder. I'll have the hubby check them tonight and then I'll have one less thing to worry about!

[Nova]

LOL! Okay, that made me laugh in the office. Thanks, I needed a good laugh. At least you know it works though.

[bikipatra]

LOL! Okay, that made me laugh in the office. Thanks, I needed a good laugh. At least you know it works though.

The poor man will put a grilled cheese on the George Foreman and LEAVE to go walk the dog!

[2getskinny]

We were sleeping one night when Our Smoke alarm went off in our Bedroom, we jump out of bed and ran to the kids rooms. Finally we figured out the alarm was telling us the battery was low and needed changed. My DH hit the reset thinkin that would work until morning, NOPE! It continued to go off every 3 minutes until he changed it. Some kind of new Smoke alarm we had put in our house when we had it built a year ago. So we will always know when to change the batteries. Scared us but it is a good thing to have I think.

[bikipatra]

We also have a carbon monoxide detector. Makes us feel extra safe and that one isn't as affected by grilled cheese.

[DogMa]

OK, am I the only one who really DOES change the batteries whenever the time changes?

And I have a carbon monoxide detector, too. I even test it somewhat regularly.

OK, so I'm a freak.

[Sojourner]

OK, am I the only one who really DOES change the batteries whenever the time changes?

I have never changed the batteries in my smoke detector. Ever.
LOL...that's because it's actually hard-wired into the house's electrical system. It doesn't take batteries...so that's cool, huh?

[bdg]

OK, am I the only one who really DOES change the batteries whenever the time changes?

I have never changed the batteries in my smoke detector. Ever.
LOL...that's because it's actually hard-wired into the house's electrical system. It doesn't take batteries...so that's cool, huh?

Likely it has a battery backup. May be a good idea to check it and/or replace it to be safe. They have the battery in case the power goes out in a fire, the alarm will hopefully still annoy you enough to get you out of bed Ours works still. I check the battery on a fairly regular occasion.

[DogMa]

I was just going to say that! Mine are hardwired, but also have a battery backup. Which I change when the time changes (and then I use the batteries somewhere else, since they're usually still good).

[Sojourner]

Duh!! Never even thought of that! So, I say all frantic-like to DH, "OMG! The smoke detector batteries need to be checked!!" And he just looks at me like I'm some crazy person (which, of course, I am!). "Uh, yeah," he says, "I check them whenever the time changes."

He's so smart! I knew I married him for a reason!!

[DogMa]

LOL

Thanks for the late-night chuckle!