Daylight Savings Time ends

Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday morning, November 2nd at 2AM. Move your clocks back one hour. This means it will be darker an hour earlier in the evening. PLAN NOW for this fall-back time transition.

Firefighters also advise you also take the time to check up on your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and alarm systems. A couple of things to check on:

* Batteries - All back up batteries in your home should be checked to ensure they are operational. This includes the smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors, weather radios, alarm clocks, and back–up batteries for both security and fire suppression devices. Each should be checked and replaced if necessary. This includes hard wired systems that may use a battery back up. Contact a trained or authorized technician if you are uncertain how to check these systems yourself.

* Check the expiration date on the smoke detector in your home. You may not know this, but smoke detectors lose their sensing ability over time. There is a date printed on the back of smoke alarms. If your smoke detector is more than 10 years old or you can't decipher the date, you need to install a new smoke detector. Be aware that even if your alarm goes off when you test it, it's only telling you that there is power to the alarm. It DOES NOT test the reliability of the smoke detection device.

* Consider getting your heating system checked before winter demand is placed upon it. We've already seen several house fires in the area related to furnace and chimney failures.

Enjoy your extra hour of sleep tonight!

(Courtesy of Pettis County Sheriff's Department)