What Time Is It? Have You Set Your Clocks?

Planning to hit the polls early or late Tuesday? Now’s the time to make sure all of your clocks or watches don’t let you down. At 2 a.m. this morning, Daylight Savings Time officially ended, moving the time back one hour.

The Loudoun County Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Management also recommends using the occasion to test smoke alarms and replace batteries. A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all. National Fire Protection Association statistics show that nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths in 2005-2009 were in homes without smoke alarms or with non-functioning smoke alarms.

“Smoke alarms are the first line of defense in alerting a person to the dangers of smoke and fire,” said Loudoun Fire Chief W. Keith Brower Jr. “Therefore, it is critical that these life-saving devices are checked frequently to ensure proper functioning.”

Some smoke alarms that hardwired into your home’s electrical system still require backup battery changes.

The U.S. Fire Administration’s Install. Inspect. Protect. fire safety campaign provides detailed information about home smoke alarms and fire sprinklers. Visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/campaigns/smokealarms or www.loudoun.gov/firemarshal to learn more.