As November draws near, Illinoisans are gearing up for the transition back to Standard Time as Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends this weekend. On Sunday, November 3, 2024, at precisely 2 a.m., clocks will be set back one hour. This change signals the official return to Standard Time. This gives an extra hour of sleep for many but also the arrival of earlier sunsets and longer nights.

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 2 a.m., when we spring forward one hour for the purpose of making better use of daylight. As we set our clocks ahead, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends testing your smoke alarms.

Roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. When smoke alarms should have worked but failed to operate, it is usually because batteries were missing, disconnected, or dead. NFPA provides the following guidelines around smoke alarms: