Get Ready For Daylight Saving Time

LOS ANGELES – California and 47 other states will skip the 60 minutes starting at 2 a.m. Sunday, as the return of Daylight Saving Time means Golden State clocks spring forward Saturday night.

The annual change means that Phoenix and most of Arizona effectively shifts over to California time, and means the local time difference between California and Hawaii increases from two hours to three.

Those changes, of course, are because most of Arizona and all of Hawaii do not observe DST.

As usual, fire officials urged people to use the change as a reminder to check their smoke alarms and replace the batteries if necessary. It is also a good time to reset timers on outdoor lights and lawn sprinkler systems.

Firefighters offered the following tips on handling and maintaining smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors:

— Install smoke detectors on all floors of your home or apartment.

— If the devices are hardwired into your electrical system, be sure to have a backup battery-operated smoke detector in case of a power outage.

— Mount alarms high on walls, at least four to 12 inches from the ceiling.

— Never paint over a smoke detector.

— Use a vacuum cleaner to remove lint or dust.

— Test the smoke detectors regularly. If the smoke detector “chirps” it is an indication of a low battery, which should be changed.

The Auto Club of Southern California warned drivers to be on the lookout for school children and other pedestrians, since it will be dark for an hour longer in the mornings.

In areas that observe the Daylight Saving Time change, clocks will fall back when standard time returns November 7.