Local

When does daylight saving time begin?

By Joe Marusak

jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

Dave LeMote wipes down a post clock at Electric Time Company, Inc. in Medfield, Mass., Friday, March 7, 2014. Most Americans will set their clocks 60 minutes forward before heading to bed Saturday night, but daylight saving time officially starts Sunday at 2 a.m. local time
Dave LeMote wipes down a post clock at Electric Time Company, Inc. in Medfield, Mass., Friday, March 7, 2014. Most Americans will set their clocks 60 minutes forward before heading to bed Saturday night, but daylight saving time officially starts Sunday at 2 a.m. local time Elise Amendola AP

Sun revelers, rejoice.

The days are not only getting longer, daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, when clocks need to be turned an hour forward.

Firefighters said it’s also a good time to change the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

“An alarming but true fact is 80 percent of child fire fatalities occur in homes without working smoke alarms,” Chris Stowe of the Gastonia Fire Department said Wednesday.

“Changing the batteries in smoke alarms twice per year, and testing the detectors monthly, is the best way to reduce these tragic deaths,” Stowe said.

Many fire departments have free smoke alarms for those who lack one or have a damaged or out-of-date alarm.

Daylight saving time was first introduced in Europe during World War I, although American inventor and politician Benjamin Franklin advocated the practice as far back as 1784, according to daylightsavingstimechange.org.

Franklin said the change would save “a considerable number of candles.”

Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.

Marusak: 704-358-5067;

Twitter: @jmarusak

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