It's almost time to set back your clocks. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday. People spring the clocks forward an hour during spring, and after midnight on Sunday, the clocks will need to be turned back an hour. With that change, comes some adjustments. Besides setting your clocks, you are also going to have to adjust your sleeping schedule. One thing you should not sleep on, is that it's also time to check your smoke detectors.
Traditionally, fire departments have used Daylight Saving as a reminder to check smoke alarms and change their batteries. The Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District says it's had its fair share of fire calls for homes, apartments, and businesses that did not have working fire alarms. "We’ve had our fair share of structure fires in the Truckee Meadows where there have been fatalities as a result of smoke alarms that were not operating, not plugged in, or had batteries that were no longer valid,” said Adam Mayberry from the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.
Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District recommends that people have smoke alarms in every bedroom, as well as hallways, and other strategic locations. People should also be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions when they change the batteries.
“Many homes already have a hard wired smoke alarms, which we encourage, but they still require a back-up battery. The battery in that really needs to be changed at least twice a year," said Mayberry. If you have a non-functioning smoke alarm or could use an extra one, Truckee Meadows Fire says that the Red Cross actually provides smoke alarms for free.
