Community Corner

Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday March 11, 2012

Fire departments across the country encourage residents to change smoke alarm batteries the day you change your clocks.

It's nearly time to spring forward into Daylight Saving Time. Alas, the change of the clock means a few groggy mornings for many, rather than anything springy to speak of.

For those with Sunday morning plans, consider setting a reliable house clock or watch ahead one hour before going to sleep on Saturday and check your cell phone settings to prevent any snafus —it's always wise to have a backup

Why all the hassle? Daylight Saving Time, first established in 1918, is designed to add an hour of sunlight to the end of the day during the warm weather months, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The period of time was extended in 2007 by one month to encourage energy savings, and now runs from 2 a.m. the second Sunday of March (March 11) to 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

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The has joined a national effort to encourage residents to test their smoke alarms and change the batteries when changing the clocks. Most smoke alarm batteries should be changed once a year.

Still some juice but the year is up? Just switch them into that fickle TV remote or keep them in a drawer to use up on a toy or tool that your life doesn't depend on. That way a nagging worry on Monday morning won't distract you from the pressing needs at hand, like finding a strong cup of coffee.

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