LOS ANGELES—At 2 a.m. Nov. 5, it will be time to “fall back” to Pacific Standard Time, meaning turn your clocks back one hour.
Most people will have tended to that task before retiring for the night Saturday—getting an extra hour of sleep. Some will have to scramble to catch up Sunday. But remember—it will be getting light earlier in the morning, while also getting dark earlier in the afternoon or early evening.
Fire officials annually urge people to use the time change as a reminder to check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace the batteries if necessary. It’s also a good time to reset timers on outdoor lights and lawn sprinkler systems.
- Check those smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. In addition, for people who are hearing impaired or sensitive to loud noises, consider installing devices with strobe lights or vibration alerts. For those who don’t like bright lights, alarms and detectors with verbal alerts are also available.
- L.A. County residents should download the Family Instructions for Rapid Escape (F.I.R.E.) guide to create and practice plans for all types of emergencies, such as how to transport people down stairs and how to escape through a door or window. The guide is available online.
- “Close Before You Doze.” Closing doors at bedtime prevents the spread of flames into a bedroom when there is a fire. If possible, fire officials say, consider installing sprinklers to keep fires small and give people more time to escape.
The time change will again put California one hour earlier than Arizona, as most of that state does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands also don’t observe daylight saving time.
Standard time will be in effect until March 10, 2024, when it will be time to again “spring forward.”
