Commissioner King: Change Clocks, Change Batteries

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

“Smoke alarms protect your lives and belongings by warning when there might be a fire in your home or place of work,” said Commissioner King. “However, a smoke alarm’s life-saving capacity ends when it runs out of batteries. Fire safety experts advise that smoke alarm batteries should be changed twice per year, and the end of Daylight Saving Time is the perfect opportunity to replace the batteries in our smoke alarms.”

Smoke alarm batteries can be the difference between life and death for too many Georgians. There have been at least 27 home fire fatalities so far in 2023, with several homes having missing or non-functioning smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the death rate in homes without functioning smoke alarms was more than twice as high compared to homes with working smoke alarms between 2014 and 2018.

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, the American Red Cross, or your local fire station.

Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 12th, at 2:00 a.m., when all clocks are set forward one hour.

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The mission of the Office Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire 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.