Clocks jumping ahead earlier

Daylight time begins Sunday

Ontario clocks will "spring forward" this weekend-- three weeks earlier than they have in the past. Daylight time officially comes into effect at 2 a.m. this Sunday, so area residents are reminded to set their clocks ahead an hour before they go to bed Saturday night. The change will mean an extra hour of daylight in the late afternoon and by implementing it early Ontarians will be in sync with the United States, which was first to decide to extend daylight saving time by three weeks in the spring and a week in the fall. With the change of the clocks, Halton Hills Fire Protection and Prevention Services urges everyone to remember to also change their smoke alarm batteries. "The time changes are an ideal reminder for changing the batteries," said Fire Safety Technician Pat Woods. "Spring and fall are fixed reminders to change the batteries, test the alarms and ensure they are working. " "Smoke alarms are your defence against fire, so it makes good sense to look after these devices." Over they years smoke alarms have been credited with saving many lives.

"With the introduction of the new provincial law March 1, 2006, we hope to see even fewer deaths in Ontario as a result of this action," said fire safety specialist David Ford. "There must be a working smoke alarm on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas." He added with the minimal cost of smoke alarms there is no reason why every resident of Halton Hills doesn't have at least one working smoke alarm in their home. He also urges everyone to develop a home escape plan, and practise it, to ensure a safe evacuation of family members.

`There must be a working smoke alarm on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas.'