
Big Bear Valley, CA — Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday so, before you “spring forward,” you may want to pick up some batteries at the store this week. Our local fire agencies urge all residents to use the daylight savings time change on Saturday night, March 13/14, as a reminder to change the batteries in smoke detectors before going to bed. Working smoke detectors can decrease the risk of fatalities by nearly 50%, by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape in the case of fire. Though 82% of homes in the U.S. have smoke detectors, nearly one-third of those do not work because of worn or missing batteries. The Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake and San Bernardino County Fire Departments urge families to change clocks, change batteries so you don’t become a statistic. Other suggestions to households include replacing alarm batteries when they “chirp” (signaling a low battery), test smoke detectors monthly, develop a fire evacuation plan including at least two escape routes, have fire extinguishers installed in or near the kitchen, and perform a fire prevention “house cleaning” to eliminate fire hazards.