The Shreveport Fire Department is reminding residents that as we change our clocks ahead one hour to also change the batteries in your smoke detector.

Fred Sanders, Shreveport Fire Department spokesman, tells KEEL News that this is a good time to make sure your smoke detectors work and to go over your family's evacuation plan in the event of a fire or major disaster in your home.

Louisiana's death rate from fires in 2009 was 14.7 deaths per million, above the national average of 11.0 deaths per million.  The most dangerous states were District of Columbia, Arkansas, and Mississippi.  The least dangerous states in terms of fire deaths were Hawaii, Idaho, and Massachusetts.

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