· The first American to advocate for daylight saving was Benjamin Franklin. He realized in 1784 that many people burned candles at night yet slept past dawn in the summer, wasting early-morning sunlight.· There’s a spike in heart attacks during the first week of DST due to sleep loss. So make sure you or someone near you is trained in CPR! 10% off CPR and First Aid classes at American Red Cross during March for Red Cross Month!
· There are 5% less accidents involving pedestrians on the road because of DST. So for the next 6 months, it’s officially 5% safer for you to cross the road.
· Widespread confusion was created during the 1950s and 1960s when each U.S. locality could start and end Daylight Saving Time as it desired. On one Ohio to West Virginia bus route, passengers had to change their watches seven times in 35 miles!
· And lastly, DST means that we can finally enjoy after-work drinks while it’s still light out, giving all office drones, far and wide, one more happy hour!
Just a friendly reminder from the American Red Cross to use Daylight Saving Time as a reminder to change out any items in your emergency kit that may have expired and see if any items need updating.
Also, use this biannual time change to replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and do a fire drill with your family. For more information checkout our emergency preparedness tips on our website or download our free apps onto your smart phone!
