Twice a year, most of us go through the familiar ritual of changing the clocks — springing forward in March, falling back in November. It’s a minor inconvenience we’ve all learned to just deal with.
Emergency professionals have long recommended pairing this clock change with a smoke detector battery check. It’s a simple memory hook: change the clocks, change the batteries. But there’s no reason to stop there. The clock change is a perfect trigger for a broader 30-minute preparedness check — the kind of quick review that keeps your household ready without requiring you to think about it constantly.
Here’s a simple checklist you can run through twice a year.
Test and maintain your alerts and detection
Test every smoke detector in your home. Press the test button, listen for the alarm, and replace any batteries that have run down. While you’re at it, check your carbon monoxide detectors the same way. If either type of detector is more than ten years old, it’s time to replace it regardless of whether the battery is fresh — the sensors degrade over time.
If you have a NOAA weather radio, test it too. Confirm it’s still programmed to your county and that the backup batteries are charged or fresh.
Check your stored water and food
Rotate your stored water. If you’re using tap water in containers, the general recommendation is to replace it every six months — which is exactly how often the clocks change. Rinse the containers, refill them, and label them with the date.
Check expiration dates on your emergency food supplies and any medications you’ve set aside. Move anything close to expiring into your regular rotation and replace it.
Review your family communications plan
Take five minutes to confirm that your family’s plan still reflects your current situation. Has anyone changed jobs, schools, or phone numbers since the last review? Have you moved? Is your out-of-area contact still the right person, and do they still know they have that role?
If you have kids, this is a good moment to briefly review the plan with them — not as a drill, just a calm conversation. Do they still know the out-of-area contact number? Do they know both meeting places?
Inspect your go-bag
Open your go-bag and do a quick check. Replace expired food and medications. Check that clothing is still the right size (especially for kids). Confirm that documents are current and batteries are fresh.
The value of a routine
None of this takes long. The whole review can be done in under 30 minutes. What makes it powerful isn’t any single check — it’s the habit. A household that reviews its preparedness twice a year will always have a plan that reflects current reality, supplies that haven’t quietly expired, and family members who haven’t forgotten what to do.
The clock change is coming. Make it count.
— Cascadia Ready Radio
“Be ready at home. Be ready to help.”