By By Adam Prestridge
Those who enjoy their sleep may want to go to bed an hour earlier this Saturday night.
At 2 a.m. Sunday morning, it will be time once again to “Spring Forward” as Daylight Saving Time begins. So for those weekend warriors who like to keep tabs, most weekends are 63 hours, but this coming weekend will only be 62 hours. The good news is, days will now begin to get longer giving residents more time to enjoy outdoor life such as baseball and golf, walking throughout the neighborhood and performing yard work.
With the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, the Atmore Fire Department encourage residents to change the batteries in their smoke alarms, while setting their clocks ahead one hour.
However, simply replacing the batteries in some smoke alarms may not be enough to ensure protection against fire emergencies, specifically if those alarms are older than 10 years. Studies from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) indicate one out of four alarms may not be functional due to the age of the alarm, as well as dead or missing batteries. That's why the NFPA strongly recommends replacing smoke alarms after 10 years.
"Daylight Saving Time has always served as a good reminder to change the batteries in smoke alarms," Debbie Hanson, director of external affairs for BRK Brands/First Alert, said. "But we need people to remember that smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years to ensure families are protected in fire emergencies."