Spring Forward and Change Your Smoke Alarm Batteries

It was supposed to be helpful to the country during a time of war and economic depression. What should have been temporary, seems to remain permanent. Now Congress says it helps the country save energy , which is why they extended DST to an extra month and day in 2005 in the new Energy Bill. Not everyone “celebrates” Daylight savings time: the exceptions being Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation, which does observe daylight saving time), Hawaii, and the overseas territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.

With all of that being said, at 2:00 a.m. we “lose an hour of sleep”. Which is not really true as we are just giving back the hour we gained when we fell back in the fall. Got it? Simply Put : Before you go to bed tonight turn your clocks forward an hour.

This is also a good time to change smoke alarm batteries according to Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue:

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 13 at 2:00 am. When you SPRING FORWARD one hour, Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department also urges you to change the batteries in the smoke alarms in your home.

“As everyone knows, the time changes twice a year,” said Fire Marshal Carl Peas. “Since batteries in smoke alarms should be changed approximately every six months, time changes are the perfect reminder to do just that!”

MFRD also offers a free smoke alarm installation program called “Project SAFE (Smoke Alarms for Everyone)” if you are unsure if you have the correct amount of working smoke alarms in your home.

To take advantage of Project SAFE, residents in the city limits, may contact MFRD Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm at 615-893-1422. MFRD even has specialty alarms available for the hearing or visually impaired.

“Having working smoke alarms in your home can cut your risks of fire death in half,” Peas said. “This is why it is so important to make sure you have the correct amount, and that all alarms are fully operational.”