Love it or hate it, it is that time of year again, time change time! 

This Sunday, March 12, a.m. clocks will spring ahead by one hour.  

It is also the time that Cochrane Fire Inspector, Jeff Avery likes to remind people to check their fire alarms. “This Sunday is spring ahead, so it is always a good time to take the smoke detectors down, make sure they are working, test your CO alarms, and replace the batteries whether they are needed or not. So, if we are doing that on “spring ahead” and “fall back”, then you know you always have a fresh battery in there.” 

When it comes to carbon monoxide alarms, Avery says Cochrane Fire Services is always polling who has them and who does not. A few years ago, about 30 per cent of residents had a CO2 alarm and fortunately, it has increased to approximately 50 per cent of late. Avery says, “So, half the people are saying they have, and half don’t. You can buy the ones that are a combination of a smoke alarm and CO alarm and so those ones work really well but we need to get that up to 100 per cent of the people in town have CO alarms.”  

The time change instigates alarm safety, and provides more sunshine but it can also cause fatigue.  

Avery says, ”Losing an hour of sleep can have a big impact on a lot of people so take it easy on Sunday if you have a day off. Maybe go to bed a little bit early Sunday night so you are refreshed in the morning and you’re not driving really tired or you’re not at work really tired.”