Residents gain an extra hour of sleep Sun.

Local residents are reminded to set their clocks back one hour when daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 4.

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John W. Oxendine urges Georgians to change the batteries in their smoke detectors at the same time.

The commissioner's plea was made in conjunction with the "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery" fire safety program, sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the American Burn Association.

The annual return to standard time in the fall is a good time to make sure smoke detectors are functioning property, according to Oxendine.

He went on to say, "Your smoke detector can save your life but only if it's in working order. Changing the battery twice a year and cleaning dust from the device are easy ways to ensure continued protection of your family and your property. In fact, having a working smoke alarm will double your chances of surviving a house fire.

"And while you're thinking about fire safety, plan an escape route your family can use in the event of fire," Oxendine continued. "Also, practice using the escape route during regular fire drills. Make sure to have a designated meeting place outside the home."

Last year, approximately one third of the fire fatalities in Georgia occurred in homes that either did not have smoke alarms or had smoke alarms that did not work.