Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. this Sunday morning. While it's a time when we annually lose an hour of sleep, a Wisconsin Emergency Government official says it's also a time to update devices that could save your life.
Todd Pritchard says the first thing to check are the batteries in your smoke detectors...
"....at about any given time there are about 16 million smoke detectors in the United States that don't work. That is a tragedy. So many lives could be saved if those smoke detectors were up and running. The number one reason they aren't running? Someone had taken the batteries out...."
Carbon monoxide detectors are another safety device to check...he says... but with the upcoming summer storm season, Pritchard says get ready for when power or water might be gone...
"....we always encourage everyone to have an emergency kit at home as you never know when you have to rely on that kit. You may be stuck in your home for awhile. You may not be able to get out to get supplies. Making sure you have food, water, a first aid kit, all those kinds of things..."
Pritchard says a good purchase to add to the emergency kit is a NOAA weather radio. More information is at