Commissioner King: Change Clocks, Change Batteries

ATLANTA – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King is urging all Georgians to change their clocks and their smoke alarm batteries this weekend to mark the end of Daylight Savings Time.

“Smoke alarms save countless lives each year by warning when there might be a fire in your home, apartment, or office building,” said Commissioner King. “However, their life-saving impact goes away when the smoke alarm runs out of batteries. Fire safety experts advise that smoke alarm batteries be changed twice per year, so a good rule of thumb is to change your batteries at the beginning and end of Daylight Savings Time.”

Smoke alarm batteries can be the difference between life and death for too many Georgians. This was highlighted in 2018 when 79 of 83 fatal fires in Georgia could have been prevented if Georgians had changed their batteries. In 2020, 55 of 58 fatal residential fires could have been prevented so far with a working smoke alarm.

Commissioner King also encourages Georgians to test and clean dust from their smoke alarms monthly and to practice an escape plan in case their home is ever impacted by a fire. More information on fire safety can be obtained from our office, the U.S. Fire Administration, Ready, the American Red Cross, or your local fire station.  

Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 a.m. when all clocks are set back one hour.

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The mission of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is to protect Georgia families by providing access to vital insurance products and safe buildings through fair regulation that creates economic opportunities for all Georgians.