Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend. At midnight Saturday, we’ll be ‘Falling Back’ one hour. This is a perfect time to make sure you’ve got fresh batteries in your smoke detectors. Pella Fire Chief Doug Van Gorkom says making sure those detectors are operating properly saves lives. He adds this is also a good time to make sure chimneys are cleaned and ready for winter use.

Marion County Deputy Justin Kingery says make sure your furnace has a routine checkup as winter gets underway. Kingery, who is the Marion County Fire Investigator, says that getting your furnace serviced can help prevent fires in your home. He notes that while you don’t use your furnace in the summer, it’s easy for dust, lint or some small debris to collect inside of it, which could be combustible. Kingery also reminds people to keep flammables away from your furnace, such as paints or varnishes, and also to keep combustible items like boxes full of newspapers away as well.