Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 14, and Sarasota County Emergency Services personnel are reminding the public that it's a good time to take precautions that could help protect homes and loved ones by changing out batteries in smoke alarms and weather radios. Almost three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no smoke alarms that were working, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.

According to Sarasota County fire chief Michael Regnier, these safety tips could also help save lives:
    •    Make it a habit to replace the batteries in smoke alarms when adjusting clocks for the time change.
    •    Install smoke alarms on every level of the home as well as inside and outside any sleeping areas.
    •    Test smoke alarms monthly to ensure they are working properly. A "chirping" sound from a smoke alarm indicates the battery needs to be changed immediately.
    •    Smoke alarms are good for 10 years before they should be replaced. Writing the purchase date with a marker on the back of the smoke alarm helps remind you when it has reached its 10-year life-span.