Spring Forward March 11: Daylight Saving Time 2012

Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. Sunday March 11. Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead (from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.) by one hour.

Daylight saving time has started the second Sunday of March since 2007, in an effort to save energy nationwide.

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, during DST the "daylight" begins an hour later in the morning and lasts an hour longer in the evening. This change helps keep the hours of daylight coordinated with the time that most people are active.

Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November.

Change your clocks, Change your batteries

Fire officials nationwide use clock change to remind people about changing batteries in their fire and smoke alarms. 

Smoke alarms most often fail because of missing, dead or disconnected batteries so maintenance is a simple, effective way to protect your family and reduce home fire deaths, the Washington State Fire Marshal's Office said in 2011. Working smoke alarms nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire.  Warnings from smoke alarms can provide those critical extra seconds people need to get out of their homes safely.

For more information about fire safety, please visit the State Fire Marshal website atwww.wsp.wa.gov/fire/firemars.htm.