Change Clocks, Smoke Alarm Batteries This Weekend

Daylight saving time ends this weekend, which means it is time to fall back and set those clocks back one hour on Saturday night.

However, Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said clocks are not the only thing people need to be changing this weekend.

Hudgens said that when Georgians change their clocks Saturday night, they should also check and change the batteries in their smoke alarms.

He said doing so could save a life.

“So far, we have had 85 residential fire deaths in Georgia (in 2015),” said Hudgins. “62 of those, we can find no trace of a working smoke alarm. If they had one, chances are that number of 85 would be significantly lower. Make sure your smoke alarm is working.”

According to Hudgens, a working smoke alarm doubles the chance of survival of a fire in the home.

Hudgens went on to say that if a smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, people should replace it with a new one.

He also said this weekend is a good time to practice that family escape plan.

“Have a designated meeting area outside your house so that you will know that everyone is out,” said Hudgens.

Again, daylight saving time ends Sunday at 2 a.m., when clocks are set back one hour, so do not forget to set clocks back before going to bed Saturday night.