Check Smoke Alarms when you change the Clocks this weekend

To usher in warmer days, we spring forward this weekend into Daylight Saving Time. Turn clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday night in order to wake up on time this Sunday. This weekend’s time change is also a great time to check and change the batteries in your smoke alarms, says Oconee County Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Chief Shane Gibbs. “Two times a year we recommend changing the smoke alarm batteries and checking your carbon monoxide alarms if you have those. We are coming up on the weekend where we spring forward an hour, so that is a good time, you are doing your spring cleaning in your home to check your smoke alarm and replace the battery with a fresh one. Take a vacuum cleaner, open it up, dust it out, close it back up and test it to make sure it is operational. Also, it is a good time while you are doing that to get with your family to establish an escape plan in case of a fire or some type of emergency.” It is also a good time to create an escape plan for your family, continues Chief Gibbs. “Recent research shows that homes burn faster than they did 20 – 30 years ago and your escape time from the time the smoke alarm goes off is anywhere from 3 – 4 minutes to be able to get out of your home safely, compared to 15 – 20 minutes 30-years ago.” Remember, smoke alarms need to be on each level of your home, especially around bedrooms.