ROANOKE, Va. – It’s that time of year! We get a little more sunlight, but we lose a little sleep.
Sunday marks the beginning of Daylight saving time.
Roanoke Fire-EMS is using this as a chance to remind people that when you change your clock forward an hour, change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
You need to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year, according to firefighters.
If your smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace it altogether.
While we lose an hour of sleep, Deputy Chief David Guynn said jumping out of bed to change the batteries will help wake you up.
“Get up early. Immediately wake up and say, ‘You know what, I’m gonna spring forward. I’m going to go check my smoke alarm battery and replace it,” said Guynn.
Remember to set your clocks forward an hour before you go to sleep Saturday night.
On Sunday, Guynn said you can also take the time to practice your fire escape plan.
Guynn also said that closing your bedroom door greatly increases the chances of surviving a fire.