Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens is urging everyone to change the batteries in their smoke alarms at the same time they change their clocks to daylight saving time on this weekend.

The annual change to daylight saving time is the perfect opportunity. Changing the batteries in each device is the easiest way to ensure continued protection of your family and property.

In 2017, approximately 94 residential fires in Georgia resulted in 112 deaths. Of those fires, 89 of the homes did not have a working smoke alarm. This year, 25 Georgians have died in 21 residential fires, with none of the houses having a working smoke alarm.

Commissioner Hudgens encourages all residents to test and clean dust from the smoke alarms monthly. He also recommends that you plan and practice an escape route to the outside of your home in the event of a fire.

Daylight saving time starts this Sunday, March 11, at 2 a.m., when clocks are set ahead one hour, which means you’ll either need to hit the pillows an hour earlier or lose an hour of sleep.

Daylight saving time is observed in 48 of the 50 states with Arizona and Hawaii opting out of the change. Well, that is, most of Arizona. The Navajo nation does observe daylight saving time on tribal lands.