New Zealanders can look forward to an extra hour of sleep tomorrow as Kiwi clocks wind back an hour as daylight saving ends for another year.
The longer days will end when clocks go back by one hour at 3am tomorrow. Most smartphones adjust their time automatically. But, for those digital applicances and watches, it will have to be done by hand.
The Government first introduced daylight saving time in 1927. The current times have been fixed since 2007 when the New Zealand Daylight Time Order was introduced into legislation.
According to the Order , "early Sunday morning was chosen for the changeover because fewer people are working at that time, and this reduces the impact on workers and employers".
Winding back our clocks is also an annual reminder for Kiwis to check their smoke alarms are up to standard.
"This is also the weekend to check your smoke alarms are working, no matter how new they are or how recently you changed the battery," National Advisor Fire Risk Management Pete Gallagher says.
"Of the residential fires Fire and Emergency attended last year, 33 per cent didn’t have working smoke alarms," he says.
"Fire moves very fast. You only have three minutes to escape. You are four times more likely to survive a house fire if you have working smoke alarms."
"Having working smoke alarms in the right places in your home to alert all members of the household as early as possible, is the critical first step in a n effective escape plan," Gallagher says.
Fire and Emergency NZ recommends installing smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway and living area. Landlords are expected to install working smoke alarms and tenants to check them regularly - we recommend once a month.
You can find information about installing and maintaining smoke alarms here .
"Every year, with the arrival of autumn and winter, when people start lighting fires and turning on their heaters, we see a significant increase in the number of residential fires."
Daylight saving starts each year on the last Sunday in September, and ends on the first Sunday in April.
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