Monroe firefighters raise alarm on safety
Published 10:11 pm Sunday, June 21, 2009
MONROE — When firefighters rush to put out a blaze, they often listen for the high-pitched shrill of a smoke alarm.
Too often, the only sound they’re hearing is the crackle of burning wood, officials say.
Without working smoke detectors, the result can be tears, sobs and weeping, the soundtrack of tragedy.
Now, officials in Monroe are trying to encourage everyone, especially people living in rental units, to double check that they have enough working smoke alarms.
Firefighters with Monroe Fire District 3 carry extra smoke alarms and batteries on their rigs.
“Who wouldn’t want the fire department to go in and change batteries for people?” Jason Bowen said. He’s the city’s fire inspector.
Fires spread quickly, often doubling in size every minute, he said. Each second counts, and smoke alarms are the best way to warn residents to get to safety.
“That could be enough to where you could actually get out,” Bowen said.
Building codes require new homes to have smoke alarms in every sleeping area, hallways and at least one on each floor, he said. It’s best to have them linked and powered by the home’s electricity with a battery backup.
Fire investigators found only one smoke detector in a home on Tester Road where an infant suffered fatal burns on May 18, District 3 spokeswoman Richelle Risdon said. It’s still unclear if the alarm was working. An overloaded extension cord was blamed for sparking the fire.
When the family moved into a rental apartment across town, the mother called the fire department, she said. There were no smoke alarms in their new home.
State law requires landlords to install the alarms and for tenants to maintain them. Still, some tenants complain that landlords don’t install them, while landlords accuse tenants of taking out the batteries.
In Monroe, fire officials don’t wait to sort out legal tangles, Risdon said. They get to work installing smoke alarms distributed by the state.
Or if the alarm needs new batteries, firefighters replace them, she said.
Too often, people will disable smoke alarms after kitchen smoke sets them off. The temporary nuisance of a sounding alarm should be a reminder that the safety systems are working, Risdon said.
People with questions about smoke detectors should call their local fire station.
