With spring about a week away, it’s time to change the clocks.
This weekend, Daylight Saving Time will kick in at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
Most people remember to “spring forward and fall back” when it comes time to change the clock.
The local fire department, in addition to the agencies nationwide, use the date to remind residents to change their clock, change their batteries.
“It’s standard to change the batteries when you change your clock for daylight savings,” said Cañon City Fire Department administrative assistant Diane Mahlberg. “But we don’t have a mandate.”
But she cautioned that changing the batteries is a safety measure.
At the same time, those who cannot change their batteries for any reason are encouraged to call the fire department to schedule a time for firefighters to change the batteries for them, but residents need to supply their own batteries.
As a courtesy, the local department will provide a smoke alarm to anyone who cannot afford one, but it’s on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“They have to fill out an application and the guys will check it out,” Mahlberg said.
When they’re gone, that’s it. Although smoke detectors are wired to electricity, they need to have their batteries changed twice a year, as well.
DST was first observed in 1918 and was used on and off however the state determined. During the 1973 the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries oil embargo, the idea of conserving fuel went nationwide.
Later, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act in 2005, which changed the dates for DST to begin in 2007 with the goal of reducing nationwide electricity by 1 percent.
In Colorado at the end of the 20th century, State Sen. MaryAnne Tebedo attempted to present the idea of keeping the clock the same year round; however, she found a law that forbade the extension of daylight savings time.
Instead of giving the idea up, Tebedo introduced the proposal to exempt the state of Colorado from DST, but it failed in the committee.
Since 2007, daylight saving time has begun at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ended at 2 a.m. the first Sunday of November.
Charlotte Burrous
The Daily Record
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