IT’S TONIGHT: All the little goblins and ghouls will be out
tonight trick-or-treating so be careful driving on the streets and
roads. Poor kids. When we were young, Halloween-ing lasted for a
week or more — not the 90 minutes or so they have to celebrate. We
went from door to door and, God forbid, our parents did not
accompany us! Nobody got a razor blade in their candy, either, if
you can imagine that.
Also tonight, before you hit the sack, turn your clocks back one
hour. It’s an extra hour for reveling but we’ll pay for it all
through the exceedingly dark winter months to come. Officially,
Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
GOOD IDEA: While we loathe the change of the clocks at this time
of year, it has sparked a very good idea — no pun intended.
Emergency services providers encourage homeowners to use the
twice-a-year time change as a reminder to check the batteries in
their smoke alarms — and replace them, if necessary. These devices
have saved many lives since their invention.
We got this note from Glen D. Dunn, acting county coordinator,
Department of Emergency Services, Potter County:
“As a 27-year veteran in emergency services, I have witnessed
firsthand the tragedy and devastation of home fires. It’s even more
heartbreaking when a young life is cut short. On average, home
fires kill 540 children ages 14 and under each year. Overall,
roughly 80 percent of home fire deaths in this country occur in
homes without working smoke alarms.
“Considering that residential fire deaths peak in winter months,
it makes sense to change your smoke alarm batteries each and every
fall and spring.”
Changing your batteries in this fashion doubles your family’s
chances of getting out of a home fire alive.
TIME CHANGE: By the way, the clocks change back to Daylight
Savings Time on March 14 of next year. The duration of the time
change seems to get shorter every year and, who knows, maybe some
day it will be eliminated completely.
What fun would winter be, though, if you didn’t get to drive
home from work at 5 p.m. in the black of night and amid a raging
snowstorm? Just wouldn’t be Bradford, would it?
