Fire Department Urges Smoke-Alarm Safety as Clocks ‘Spring Forward’ Sunday

Pasadena residents will lose an hour of sleep when clocks “spring forward” at 2 a.m. Sunday for the start of daylight saving time, a shift that fire officials and health agencies traditionally use to remind the public to check smoke alarms and replace batteries if needed. 

The Pasadena Fire Department has traditionally urged residents to replace old smoke–alarm batteries with fresh, high–quality ones and to ensure emergency flashlights also have new batteries.

After inserting new batteries, residents should activate the safety test button to confirm the alarm is working, and the department recommends testing all alarms at least once each month. 

Now’s the time to evaluate the condition of your detectors, too — any alarm whose condition is in doubt should be replaced, and all smoke alarms should be replaced with new devices every 10 years. 

Fire–safety guidance also includes installing smoke detectors on every floor of a home or apartment, mounting alarms high on walls at least four to 12 inches from the ceiling, and keeping devices free of dust. 

If alarms are hardwired, residents should maintain a battery–operated backup in case of a power outage, the Department has said. 

Alarms that “chirp” indicate a low battery that should be changed, and painted or contaminated alarms may need replacement. The time change is also a good opportunity to reset timers on outdoor lights and lawn sprinkler systems. 

The Department recommends placing a properly functioning smoke alarm in every sleeping room and in the hallway directly adjacent to those rooms. Homes with upstairs bedrooms should have an alarm centered on the ceiling above the interior stairway. 

Families are encouraged to practice escape plans with children, who are at increased risk during home fires because they may become scared or confused. 

“Make sure your children recognize the sound of your home’s Smoke Alarm and teach them to respond instinctively to its signal,” the department said.

Households should create at least two escape routes from every room and practice them with the entire family. 

On Daylight Savings Time Sundays, The Automobile Club of Southern California traditionally warns morning drivers to watch for pedestrians, since it will be dark for an hour longer in the mornings. 

The time change also places California on the same hour as most of Arizona, which does not observe daylight saving time. 

Hawaii remains on standard time, making the islands three hours earlier than Los Angeles for the next half–year instead of two hours.