Spring Forward, Change Smoke Detectors

Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend, and locals are urged to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when they spring forward.

The time change will take place at 2 a.m. Sunday. Fire prevention education groups have pegged this annual event as a day to also remember to give alarms fresh batteries.

Springs Fire Department Chief Ben Miller said it is important to make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries because they could save your life.

"Obviously smoke detectors save thousands of lives each year," Miller said. "We use the change the seasons because its nice and convenient for people to remember to change their batteries."

Changing them may also save you money. "A large portion of our false alarms are from low batteries in the smoke detectors," he said. East Hampton Town fines homeowners for every false alarm after the first.

Miller also recommended buying new batteries for the change and "not ones that have been in a drawer for 10 years," he said.

Also, he said homeowners should take this opportunity to check out the date each smoke detector was manufactured, as they should be changed every 10 years. The sensor become no longer as accurate after that period, he said.