Come July 1st battery-operated smoke detectors must be run by ten-year lithium batteries in Maryland.
And by 2018 all homes in the state will have to have the new smoke detectors.
In Salisbury, fire officials told WBOC that the number of homes that catch fire because a non-working smoke detector is rising.
Salisbury Fire Chief Rick Hoppes told the station that the longevity and reliability of the new alarms could save lives.
As for firefighters they say that it will also make their jobs a little safer because it will mean that they will not have to search for occupants who have been alerted and left the building.
