Home safety

FAIRMONT September 09, 2008 07:57 pm

— Every year, firefighters respond to thousands of fires at homes and businesses, and the faster the response time, the better chance there is of saving property and lives.
And having a few devices located in strategic places in the home greatly increases the likelihood of a person surviving an event such as a house fire — smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
“It’s a proven fact that thousands of lives are saved every year by smoke and carbon monoxide detectors,” said Roger Wilson, Fairmont fire chief.
Wilson pointed out that the early-detection devices are relatively inexpensive and everyone should be able to afford to install them throughout the home. He said that smoke detectors can be purchased for as little as $7. He also noted that carbon monoxide detectors start at around $15 and then increase in price depending on the type of detector.
“There’s really no excuse why someone shouldn’t have detectors installed,” Wilson said.
The veteran firefighter — Wilson has worn the uniform for 29 years — said that he has seen hundreds of cases where early detection of smoke or carbon monoxide has saved lives. He added that he recently built a home and installed detectors at different locations throughout the structure.
Wilson added that he has a smoke detector placed in every bedroom in the home. He also has a smoke detector in his family room as well as one in the garage. There is also one in his kitchen and one in the upstairs hallway, he noted. And since smoke rises, detectors should be placed high on the wall or on the ceiling to be most effective, he said.
Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in all bedrooms along with the smoke detectors. He added that carbon monoxide detectors should also be placed in any room where fossil fuels are being burned. For example, if a person uses gas to heat their home or to operate their hot water tank, then the carbon monoxide detector should be placed in those areas.
However, having detectors installed is one thing, but making sure they work is another. Wilson said that detectors should have their batteries changed every time clocks are set up or back for time changes. Therefore, the batteries should be changed twice a year.
“And I test my detectors once a month to make sure they work,” he said. “You can’t just put a battery in a smoke detector and expect it to last forever.”
Wilson also recommended that the detectors be hardwired into the homes electrical system as well as having a battery backup. That way the detector always has a power source, even if the electricity is off at the home.
E-mail Paul Fallon at pfallon@timeswv.com.

Photos

Smoke detectors, such as the one pictured above, should be mounted high on the wall or on the ceiling, said Roger Wilson, Fairmont fire chief. The batteries in the detectors should also be changed twice a year.