Lake Apopka Natural Gas District gave the Clermont Fire Department 100 smoke detectors to hand out as clocks fall back Sunday. How to test yours, who to call.

The Clermont Fire Department has 100 smoke detectors to give to residents. The Lake Apopka Natural Gas District donated them, the district said in an announcement.

Firefighters will hand out the detectors along with a reminder to test alarms and change batteries, the district said. The timing is tied to the end of daylight saving time. Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday.

The district gave the same number to Apopka’s fire department. Apopka is about 18 miles northeast of Clermont, in Orange County.

How to get one

The district’s announcement did not say where or when the detectors will be handed out, or who qualifies. The Fire Department’s administration office answers smoke alarm questions at 352-394-7662, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, according to the department’s page.

What they said

“A working smoke alarm can make a tremendous difference when a fire occurs because every second matters,” Fire Chief David Ezell said in the announcement. He said the donation lets the department “get smoke detectors into the hands of residents who can benefit from them.”

Brent Haywood, the gas district’s general manager and CEO, said the partnership puts “potentially lifesaving equipment directly into residents’ homes.”

The Clermont Fire Department runs five stations. It answered more than 8,500 calls in 2025, the announcement said. The gas district is a special district created in 1959. It serves about 31,000 natural gas customers in parts of Orange and Lake counties.

What it means for you

Use Sunday’s time change as a reminder. The announcement lists these steps:

  • Test every smoke detector in the home.
  • Check the batteries and replace them if needed.
  • Make sure detectors are in the right places around the home.
  • Replace old detectors when the manufacturer says to.
  • Go over your family’s fire escape plan so everyone knows how to get out.

A detector that chirps about once a minute usually has a low battery, the Fire Department’s page says. If a new battery does not stop it, replace the detector. A false alarm can be caused by dust or a small insect in the sensor. The department also posts a smoke alarm information sheet (PDF).

The department is planning a sixth station: read about the federal grant for 18 more firefighters. Fire calls are listed in our Police and Fire log.