Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend, and the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King urges Georgians to change their smoke detector batteries when they set their clocks back and hour Sunday.
"We're already taking care of moving our clocks backwards and forwards, but this is also a reminder to go and check out smoke alarms," said King. "This little, simple task of replacing the batteries, twice a year, cleaning the smoke detectors can save a number of lives."
Smoke alarm batteries can be the difference between life and death for too many Georgians. This was highlighted in 2020 when 55 of 58 fatal fires in Georgia could have been prevented if Georgians had changed their batteries. This translates to 95% of all fire fatalities being preventable by simple maintenance.
King said it's also a good time to talk with your family about safety plans in case of a fire or other emergency. "Just a simple rehearsal, talking about what you're going to do in case the smoke detector goes off," King said.
Smoke alarms are available at all major retailers, and King said many fire departments offer free smoke alarms and to check with your local department.
The time change will occurr at 2 a.m. Sunday.
