This weekend marks the return of Daylight Saving Time, which means it is time to “spring forward.” Don’t forget to move their clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday night.

As you adjust your clocks, the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department is also reminding you to take a few minutes to check and change the batteries in their smoke detectors.

Changing smoke detector batteries when the time changes is an easy way to make sure alarms are working properly and ready to alert families in case of a fire. Working smoke detectors are one of the most important safety tools in a home and can provide critical early warnings that help save lives.

“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” said Fire & Life Safety Educator Lt. Jeremy Webb. “The time change serves as an important reminder for families to test their smoke alarms, replace batteries if needed, and ensure alarms are less than 10 years old.”

Taking a few extra minutes during the time change to check alarms can make a big difference in keeping families safe.