Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday

By Kaye Collins

Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2 a.m., at which time clocks “spring forward” one hour to 3 a.m. This change results in an extra hour of light in the evening but one less hour of sleep that night as winter is put to rest and spring blooms awake.

When the time changes it is a reminder to everyone to have a home safety checklist. This list should include the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors replacing the batteries in all detectors and test them to ensure they are functional. Check the fire extinguisher pressure gauge, if the needle is in the red, the unit needs to be recharged or replaced. Review the home and car emergency kits. Make sure there are bandages, tape, fresh batteries, replace expired food and water. Check your medicine cabinet and safely dispose of expired or unused medications.

Seasonal home maintenance includes HVAC filters, swap out dirty air filters to improve your systems efficiency as warmer weather approaches. Ceiling fans should be switched to a counter-clockwise direction to push cool air downward. Inspect gutters and clean them out along with the downspouts of winter debris to prevent water damage.

Jenny and Tucker have shared that their smoke detector, flames and smoke, fire extinguisher and trying to keep calm was an experience they don’t want anyone to experience. They, along with their dog GusGus, were peacefully sleeping when the smoke detectors suddenly went off. “We jumped out of bed in total panic,” Jenny recounted. “We exchanged a brief look, imagining a series of terrifying scenarios.” They hurriedly split up to locate the origin of the single alarm that had been triggered; since the smoke detectors are linked to the electrical system, when one alarm goes off, all detectors in every room start sounding.

“The front spare room was glowing orange,” she said. “My worst fear is coming to pass.” Tucker promptly removed his shirt and started beating the curtains that were to the ceiling with flames. He couldn’t continue as the thick black smoke bellowed out of the room he came running out along with it. “I pushed by him with the fire extinguisher I ran to retrieve from our closet on the other end of the house,” she exclaimed. “All I was thinking was this thing is 20 years old and I don’t know how to use it and that I better figure it out within the next two seconds or we will lose everything.” She stood in front of the flames holding her breath, squinting her burning eyes to see through the smoke filled room. She was yelling “How do I use this thing!” Just then she sees a silver shiny pin, which must be something that needs to be pulled she thought. “I quickly pulled the pin and squeezed the handle blindly spewing it over the flames,” she exclaimed. “Thank you, God, it worked like it was supposed to!” The fire was out but this happened in GusGus’ room.

She needed to rescue him. The smoke was so dense that visibility was nearly impossible. Crawling on the floor with a flashlight, she searched for their beloved pet. “The smoke was irritating my airway, so I realized I had to locate him quickly,” she recounted. “He was hiding under the bed and came to me when I called his name.” Her mind raced with thoughts of what if we hadn’t been home? What if our fire alarms had failed? What if we hadn’t possessed a fire extinguisher? “God intervened and said not today,” she expressed. “I am incredibly thankful that we didn’t lose everything. The room will be uninhabitable for quite some time due to the unbearable burnt odor that lingers there and throughout the entire house. The fire shattered the window, and the wall, curtains, blinds, carpet, and Tucker’s surfboard were all damaged. Tucker burned his hand while trying to extinguish the flames.

The cause of the fire quickly triggered when the smoke cleared, they have a small UV light for GusGus to help provide him the vitamins he needs. Evidently the UV light caught fire.

Jenny and Tucker are sharing their experience to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the batteries in your smoke detectors and alarms are functioning properly. They also urge everyone to have a fire extinguisher in their home, know its location, and understand how to use it. She recommended keeping face masks, a fire blanket, and a flashlight stored alongside it. “We were lucky that our alarms responded quickly and that we were ready,” she remarked, “It could have turned out very differently.” Although they were shook to the core they are all okay.