South Dakota’s Fire Marshal says there are two things South Dakotans need to do this weekend: reset their clocks and check their smoke alarms.
Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday. That means pushing your clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night.
Fire Marshal Paul Merriman suggests it also is a good time to switch batteries in smoke alarms.
Merriman says smoke alarms should be changed about twice a year.
He says the National Fire Protection Association says nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in properties without working smoke alarms.
Other safety tips involving smoke alarms include:
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- Test alarms at least monthly by pressing the test button.
- Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Do it sooner if the alarms don’t respond properly.