BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- This weekend, March 13 and 14, we will all be setting our clocks to Daylight Saving Time.

The time change is a good reminder to check your smoke alarms and change the batteries.

According to the National Fire Protection Association more than 66 percent of home fire deaths that occurred between 2003-2006 were in homes without a working smoke alarm.

Smoke alarms alert people to fire in its early stages, giving them the time needed to escape safely.

When working properly, smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.

●Replace your smoke alarm every 10 years; aging smoke alarms do not operate efficiently, and are a cause of nuisance alarms.

●A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all, so test your smoke alarm monthly by pushing the “test” button, if it has one. Even if your smoke alarm is hard wired the battery should be changed.

●Place smoke alarms outside each sleeping area and on each level of your home, including the basement. Remember the garage too.

●It is preferable to mount the alarm on the ceiling at the highest point, 4-12 inches from the nearest wall.

●Make sure that everyone in the home knows the sound of the alarm and what to do when they hear it. Develop an escape plan with a safe meeting point and practice it.

●There are alarms made to meet the needs of people with hearing disabilities. These alarms may use strobe lights that flash and/or vibrate to assist in alerting those who are unable to hear standard smoke alarms when they sound.

As Daylight Savings Time begins, change your clock and your smoke alarm batteries too. You might save more than daylight.