Bay Area fire departments are encouraging residents to change their smoke alarm batteries when they change their clocks for the beginning of daylight-saving time this weekend.
Residents across the state will set their clocks ahead one hour in advance of the start of daylight-saving time at 2 a.m. Sunday.
Many fire departments suggest making a habit of changing smoke alarm batteries by having the battery replacements coincide with changing the clocks in the fall and spring.
Fire deaths are most often caused by toxic smoke and gases, according to the San Francisco Fire Department, so it’s important to have a working smoke detector that will alert residents early.
More than 66 percent of home fire deaths between 2003 and 2006 were in homes without working smoke alarms, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire recommends changing smoke alarm batteries twice each year, never borrowing or removing batteries, and replacing smoke alarms every 10 years.
