When Does Daylight Saving Time Begin in 2013?

By now, most people have noticed that daylight is beginning a little earlier each morning.

That means that spring — and Daylight Saving Time — is near. In 2013, the big shift happens on Sunday, March 10.

You should set your clocks forward at 2 a.m., meaning, yes, you'll lose an hour of sleep. But, you'll get an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day.

The time change will last until Nov. 3, 2013, when clocks will fall back an hour.

When you change your clocks in the fall and spring, the Woodstock Fire Department and Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services reminds you that it is also a good time to change smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries and check to make sure the devices are in working order.

Woodstock Fire Chief Dave Soumas also encourages residents to practice exit drills in case of home emergencies.

"These monthly fire drills help prepare you and your family in the event of a fire," he added. "While practicing, agree upon a good meeting place, such as your mailbox, and run through the drill with your family — especially if you have children."

Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather noted every year in Georgia, there are fire fatalities "in homes that did not have smoke alarms, or where the alarms did not function because of dead batteries."

The county fire chief said the state had 10 fire fatalities that occurred in places with no working smoke detector and eight involving "non-working smoke alarms."

"If you have a smoke alarm, make sure it is in working order," he added. "Changing the battery at least once every year and cleaning dust from the device are easy ways to ensure continued protection of your family and your property. Having a working smoke alarm doubles the chances you will survive a fire in your home."

The county Fire Department’s Fire Safety Education Division also provides battery-powered smoke detectors free of charge for senior citizens and residents in need.

For more information about this program, call (770) 721-7808.

Don't miss any news from Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch! Subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here. Also, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!