ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens is reminding Georgians to use the transition to daylight saving time this weekend as a chance to also change the batteries in their smoke alarms.

Hudgens says the annual change from standard time to daylight saving time Sunday morning is a good opportunity to make sure smoke alarms are working as they should be.

Hudgens says changing smoke alarm batteries once yearly and cleaning dust from the devices are god ways to make sure families and properties are protected in the event of an emergency. Hudgens says having a working smoke alarm doubles the chances of surviving a house fire.

Hudgens says 31 people have been killed in house fires in Georgia so far this year.