2 a.m. Sunday: The deadline for daylight saving time and home safety checks

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. At that moment, clocks fall back one hour to daylight standard time. Residents gain an additional hour of sleep. Sunrises and sunsets occur earlier. The next shift occurs on March 14, 2027, when daylight saving time returns.

The American Red Cross on Long Island ties this annual time change to household fire safety. The organization urges residents to test smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back. Jose Dominguez, the Chapter CEO for the American Red Cross on Long Island, stated, “The end of daylight saving time is a good opportunity to test every smoke alarm in your home as you turn your clocks back.” He added, “Every second counts when there’s a home fire. The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get to a safer place.”

Dominguez noted that when daylight saving time ends, residents should test their smoke alarms to help prevent tragedy. The Red Cross provides a list of fire safety dos and don'ts. Households should install smoke alarms on every level of the home. This includes inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Devices that are 10 years old or older require replacement. Users must follow manufacturer instructions. Smoke alarms need a monthly test. Batteries in models that require them must be replaced at least once a year.

Fire escape plans are a required step. Every household member must know two ways to escape from every room. Everyone must know where to meet outside. Families should practice escaping at least twice a year. Children need to know how to call 9-1-1. They must also understand what smoke alarms sound like and how to respond. Chimneys require an annual cleaning and check. A metal or glass fireplace screen helps contain embers.

Residents must avoid leaving fires or candles burning while asleep or away. Heating appliances should not remain plugged in when unattended. The kitchen is a high risk area. Most kitchen fires start on stovetops, not in ovens. People should not leave the room when cooking, frying, or grilling. Water should not be tossed on a grease fire. A fire extinguisher should be within easy reach. If a fire starts in a pan and no extinguisher is available, a lid can suffocate the flames.

Flammable items must stay away from the stove. Curtains, towel racks, and potholders are common hazards. If a microwave is not built in, vents must remain unobstructed. Counter clutter should be removed. Heat sources, such as space heaters, should not sit near flammable materials. Carbon monoxide detectors require a different maintenance schedule than smoke detectors. CO detectors need replacement every 5 to 7 years. Smoke detectors last about 10 years. Users should check the manufacture or expiration date on the back of the device.

CO detectors must be installed on every level of the home. They should be placed near or outside each sleeping area. Users should change batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. This applies even to hardwired units that use backup batteries. Dust and debris must be cleared from sensor vents once a year. A gentle vacuum or compressed air duster is sufficient for this task.

The Red Cross also promotes its free Emergency app. The app provides instant access to weather alerts and emergency preparedness information. It displays open Red Cross shelter locations. Users can select content in English or Spanish. The app is accessible for people with disabilities. It works with Apple Watch and Android wearable devices. Users can find the app by searching for the American Red Cross or redcross.org/apps in smartphone stores.