(as reprinted from NFPA Journal, May-June 2001 issue,
The Leading Source of Fire and Life Safety Information)
William Koffel’s “In Compliance” column in the March/April 2001 issue asked how
we can solve the residential fire problem, which is best answered through
consumer education. Unfortunately, the fire safety community has failed to
devote sufficient attention to this vital effort. Witness the fact that in 1994,
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that there were 16
million smoke detectors in U.S. homes that weren’t working. Ironically, CPSC
found that there were more homes with non-functioning smoke detectors than there
were homes without smoke detectors. In other words, in 1994, more than one out
of every four homes with smoke detectors were just as exposed to fire danger as
those without smoke detectors. It’s safe to assume that the number of
unprotected homes is even higher now, given the advanced age of detectors
counted in 1994, not including missing or dead batteries.
CPSC found that the greatest number of faulty residential detectors were the
ionization-type, battery-operated, which isn’t surprising, considering that
they’re the cheapest and the easiest to install. Obviously, kitchens aren’t the
place to install the ionization type. Even minimal cooking activities will cause
them to alarm....The detector of choice for kitchens, then, should be the
photoelectric type, preferably AC-powered, with battery back-up. The fire safety
community should include this recommendation in its public education campaign.
Of equal importance in informing the public is the matter of smoke entry. The
test button can’t test for this important feature, whereas an aerosol product
can. I add, not just any aerosol, but one that’s been approved by a recognized
independent testing laboratory and has also been approved by the smoke detector
manufacturer concerned, as provided by NFPA 72....
The foregoing suggestions, in addition to others, should be part of an
aggressive public education effort conducted by, among others, NFPA, fire
marshals, and insurance companies. Those involved in writing/maintaining
building codes need to be involved, as well.
Leon Cooper
Founder, Home Safeguard Industries
Malibu, California
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