It’s time to roll back our clocks one hour for the end of Daylight Saving Time, and as many sources recommend, a good time to swap out batteries for things like smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors.

A few years ago, we picked up a couple of smoke detectors of this type for our family — It’s a vocal smoke detector.  It comes with a recommended script for yor recorded message.  It’s a very short and basic message calling out your child(ren) by name and instructing them on what to do.  Of course, this also means that you must have a family evacuation plan and have worked through it with your children.  The recording time is rather small, but that’s the way it’s meant to be — keeping the message short for kids so as not to be too complicated or confusing.

I can’t say I recommend or suggest this specific device, but just wanted to share which device we chose for our family.  This model is a few years old, so there may very well be newer, better models on the market.  Do a little research first to determine which type of device is best for you and your family.  Whatever you do…  at least have SOMETHING.

And don’t forget to change out those batteries!

Those of us who travel for work have already heard about the new guidelines from the TSA regarding carrying Lithium batteries onto planes effective January 1, 2008.

But you should take this into account all the time. My dad twice has had his pocket get really warm all the sudden from spare batteries in his pocket shorting with contact from keys and change. He takes lots of photos so he carries a spare set all the time. He recently gave me a small plastic case made for carrying my spare batteries when I am out taking pictures. He now carries his this way. Unfortunately I cannot find the simple 4 battery case online to link here. BUT I did find a nice 8 battery case meant for photographers to toss in their bag. You can find the case over at B&H Photo for $9.00 USD. If only cyberguys carried like a five pack of the four battery plastic holders. I would buy that in a minute.