Daylight Saving time ends in New South Wales this Sunday the 7^th of April 2013 at 3.00 am, when clocks will be put backward one hour.

This is also a timely reminder to change the batteries in your smoke alarm.  Fire departments nationwide are working tirelessly to remind people of the simple, life-saving habit of changing and testing the batteries in smoke alarms when setting the clocks for daylight-saving time.

The NSW Fire and Rescue service says almost three-quarters of Australians believe they would wake up if a fire started during the night, despite evidence that sense of smell is reduced when people are asleep and that smoke may put them into an even deeper sleep.

The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 pm and 7 am when most families are sleeping. Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.