Safety Checklist for Time Change Sunday
Posted March 8th, 2008 by Cynthia Townley Ewer
Spring forward!
An extra hour of daylight comes our way on Time Change Sunday, as Daylight Saving Time goes into effect in most of the U.S.
As you circle the house, setting clocks ahead one hour, make time for this short safety checklist. It'll see you into summer months in a safe--and organized--home:
- Change the clocks, change the batteries. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors save lives ... if they're powered on by a fresh battery. Safety experts recommend replacing smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries twice a year--so celebrate Time Change Sunday with fresh batteries all around.
[Energy savings hint: don't toss the replaced batteries just yet. While they're likely not fully charged, replaced batteries can still do duty in children's toys, media players or electronic devices. Squeeze the last drop of power out of them before you recycle!]
- Replace light bulbs. Chances are, you'll have stepladders out to reach smoke detectors and clocks, so double up on safety (and energy savings) by checking for light bulbs and fixtures.
Consider replacing conventional bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent or LCD bulbs. The U.S. Environmental Protection estimates that replacing standard bulbs with energy-efficient ones saves over $30 in electricity costs over their lifetime.
- Check the first-aid kit. Summer's coming ... along with bumps, scrapes and stings. Check the first aid kit, and replace any missing supplies:
Make or review your family emergency plan. If an emergency strikes, will your family know what to do?
Review your family's emergency plan, or create one for the first time. Update phone numbers, addresses and contact information, and post an Emergency Information Page near the phone:
Printable Emergency Information Page
Learn more about what your family needs to know in case of disaster or emergency:
Family Emergency Preparedness from RedCross.org
Are You Ready? A Guide For Citizen Preparedness from FEMA.org
This free printable from Ready.gov makes it easy to develop a plan in case of emergencies:
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